Paavo Järvi: Festival Ambitions in Pärnu
By Pierre Jean Tribot – July 12, 2026 Paavo Järvi’s days in Pärnu are exceptionally busy: rehearsals with the orchestra, Academy masterclasses, and evening concerts. Nevertheless, he agreed to spare a few moments to discuss the festival, the Academy and his ambitions for it, the 2026 programme, and the future. We are in Pärnu, at your festival, now in its 16th edition. Why did you decide to create a classical music festival here? First of all, this city is very close to my heart. As a child, I spent every summer here. Three months each year, we were in Pärnu. Those were wonderful times because it was the school holidays—we ran around everywhere, had fun, and were together as a family. Those carefree moments of childhood are among my happiest memories. Secondly, Pärnu has a long tradition of music festivals dating back to the Soviet era. People such as Oistrakh, Shostakovich, Rozhdestvensky, Kremer, and many others came here. It was the westernmost place you could travel to within...
