Today I'd like to introduce to you a magnificent Estonian contemporary composer. His name is Arvo Pärt, it's well worth remembering, this name. He's a bit like a national treasure for us. You know, Finns have Jean Sibelius, Norwegians have Edvard Grieg, Brits have Benjamin Britten and Edward Elgar, we have Arvo Pärt. Just two facts here about how big of a name A. P. really is. First, he's been nominated for the Grammy of Best Classical Contemporary Composition for about ten times. And second, The Bachtrack Stats, which runs the worldwide statistics of classical music, has named A. P. as the most performed contemporary composer in the world for three (!) years in a row. Man, that's just about as far as anyone can get. Crazy. Big concert halls are full of his music these days...

Oh, and a third important fact. We've graduated from the same high school (you know what they say about great minds). Also, A. P. happens to have been named an honorary doctor or member of ten universities / academic societies. Including the University of St Andrews in Scotland, the one I'm going to study at soon. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT GREAT MINDS, haha! :P Nah, don't take that seriously.

They had a whole course about his music and the philosophy behind it in Tartu University last semester. And the word got out about A. P. personally attending the last lecture and answering students' questions. Oh gosh, I was excited! I tried to list everything I would have liked to ask him. And then it turned out that I had my Leading Motifs exam EXACTLY the same time this lecture was taking place. My disappointment was immense. I called my mum that evening I found out about my Newbold exam time and I was like, 'Mum, life is so unfair! Can I just skip my exam and go see A. P.?' Haha, she didn't find it to be overtly clever choice... So let's just say meeting A. P. is still on my tick-list. And one fine day I'll tick that box (and not even Newbold can hold me back!).

So today's music comes from Arvo Pärt. I love many of his compositions but maybe one of the most heavenly pieces is his Für Alina. It was the first piece of music I was able to listen to after my mum's passing. And I want it to be played at my funeral. That says a lot.