Rasmus Puur says rose garden concert honours Estonian music

Conductor and artistic director Rasmus Puur said the concert at the president’s rose garden pays tribute to Estonian music, ERR reported. The orchestra was assembled from young musicians born and raised in a free Estonia.

“There were several criteria when putting the programme together: it had to feature Estonian composers, be energetic and festive, and allow people to dance and feel joy. There had to be exactly 35 songs, matching the number of years since the restoration of independence,” Puur said. The organisers selected songs from different periods.

The orchestra performing at the rose garden reception was formed specifically for the event. It included the VHK string orchestra, while the wind, band and percussion sections brought together leading young musicians. Puur said most of them had also performed at the same event at the Song Festival Grounds five years ago.

Reflecting on his years as President Alar Karis’s cultural adviser, Puur highlighted several changes and traditions introduced by the president. These included a Mother Tongue Day reading tradition in Kadriorg, bringing Father’s Day and Mother’s Day celebrations to small places across Estonia, restoring the presence of culture and education figures at the rose garden reception, and organising a Year of the Book.

However, Puur said the experiences that stayed with him most were simple meetings with Estonian people in different parts of the country. He also recalled visiting places he would otherwise probably not have seen, including royal courts and palaces, as well as the Olympic Games.