Silence and Song: The Hauntingly Beautiful Choral Music of Arvo Pärt

By UMS

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

On Friday, February 13, 2026, Hill Auditorium will reverberate with some of the most deeply spiritual and profoundly moving choral music of the past half-century as the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir presents an all-Pärt program in honor of Arvo Pärt’s 90th birthday.

Learn more about Pärt’s uniquely minimalist compositional style and preview some of the works that will be performed:

The Man Behind the Music

Arvo Pärt was born in 1935 in Paide, Estonia, and over his long career has become one of the most influential and widely performed living composers in the world. Early in his life he studied and experimented with serialism and avant-garde techniques, even writing atonal and 12-tone works in the 1960s, but these styles eventually felt constricting to him. In the early 1970s he entered a period of deep reflection and study, immersing himself in Gregorian chant, early polyphony, and Renaissance music, that transformed his artistic trajectory.

Out of this period emerged the signature compositional language that defines his music today: tintinnabuli, a term Pärt coined from the Latin tintinnabulum, meaning “a little bell.”

What Is Tintinnabuli?

At its heart, tintinnabuli is about reduction and clarity. Instead of dense harmonic complexity, Pärt builds his music from a few simple elements (often a melody line and a supporting voice that arpeggiates the triad), creating an almost hypnotic interplay of sound and silence. The effect is minimalist in the purest sense: every note matters, and every pause shapes meaning. In Pärt’s own words, “I have discovered that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played. This one note, or a silent beat, or a moment of silence, comforts me.”

This technique has made his music highly distinctive — meditative, luminous, and, for many listeners, deeply spiritual.

Choral Works That Transcend Time

This concert program taps into the full range of Pärt’s choral genius, ranging from ancient liturgical texts to works that feel entirely timeless.

Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen – A set of short prayers that frame the traditional “Magnificat” text with luminous, bell-like sonorities.

Missa Syllabica – A unique setting of the mass ordinary that showcases Pärt’s ability to blend meditative restraint with profound emotional weight.

Summa – Originally a secular vocal work, this piece exemplifies Pärt’s ability to find sacred resonance even outside liturgical texts.

The Deer’s Cry – Later choral work that unfolds as prayers and invocations set to music of astonishing stillness and depth.

Magnificat – Pärt’s setting of the ancient Latin text, a work that marries chant-inspired lines with his signature tintinnabuli harmonies to create an exquisitely balanced reflection on joy and supplication.

Other selections like Nunc dimittis further extend his choral palette, drawing on both Christian liturgical tradition and a more universal sense of spiritual yearning.

A Rare Performance

Hearing these works live with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, under the direction of Tõnu Kaljuste, is a rare opportunity. This ensemble has become synonymous with Pärt’s music, as they have premiered and recorded many of these works and are especially attuned to the subtle interplay of tonality and silence that defines his style. Named by BBC Music Magazine as one of the world’s top choirs, their sound is at once radiant and introspective, perfect for revealing the emotional and spiritual layers beneath Pärt’s deceptively simple scores.

Pärt’s music invites us to slow down, to listen more closely, and to let sound and silence work together to open spaces inside ourselves. Join us Friday, February 13 for an unforgettable, transcendent concert experience.

Get Tickets

Tickets start at just $20 (+ fees); $15-20 student tickets available.

Bonus: Estonian Pronunciation Guide

Ever wonder how to properly pronounce the ‘ä’ in Pärt? This handy 5-minute guide will help you brush up on your Finnish and Estonian composer names! (Jump to the 2:50 mark to skip to “Arvo Pärt”)