Kristjan Järvi and French label Naïve launch the Kristjan Järvi Sound Project!
This original recording series presents the charismatic conductor’s extensive classical, world music and jazz collaborations, while capturing the essence of this vibrant and original musical personality. The Kristjan Järvi Sound Project spans Järvi’s prolific musical output with an ambitious release schedule over several years. recordings will reflect all of Kristjan Järvi’s activities, from Music Director of MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Gstaad Festival Orchestra, to the Baltic Youth Philharmonic (BYP) and his acclaimed classical-world-hip-hop-jazz group, Absolute Ensemble.
As a creative force on today’s music scene, Järvi is known for his innovative classical music programmes and instinctive vision for cross-genre collaborations. The first release on the Kristjan Järvi sound project is Balkan Fever, a heady blend of folk-infused orchestral music from the Balkans with western jazz beats.
Järvi’s passion for classical music combines with a truly 21st century attitude that cuts across musical and geographical borders.
Future releases on the Kristjan Järvi sound project range from works by strauss, rachmaninov and Tan Dun (all with MDR LRSO), to Baltic Voyage (BYP) and Forgotten Peoples (Absolute Ensemble). In addition, ‘Kristjan Järvi and Friends’ will showcase Järvi’s collaborations with some of the world’s top artists and composers including Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt.
Kristjan Järvi comments: “In classical music we hear every genre of music of today. It is hip-hop, it is groove, it is swing. I hope with the Kristjan Järvi sound project we can show that classical music is for everyone, by taking a fresh look at the old or by mixing genres to create explosive results.”
Didier Martin, Director, Naive Classique & Jazz, comments “When I first saw Kristjan in concert, I was blown away by this vital, exhilarating force on the podium. everything he presents sounds fresh, whether it be core classical repertoire or Balkan-infused symphonic sounds. Much more than a traditional conductor, I thought to myself, is this the future of classical music?”
First release on the Kristjan Järvi Sound Project: Balkan Fever
Released in June 2014, the first album on the Kristjan Järvi Sound Project is Balkan Fever. The brainchild of Kristjan Järvi, Balkan Fever features the vibrant colours of folk-influenced orchestral pieces by Enescu and Kodály, with hypnotic sounds, melodies and beats from the Balkans. The album stars a trio of virtuosic Balkan musicians – kaval-player Theodosii Spassov, and guitarists Miroslav Tadic and Vlatko Stefanovski – while the live concert recording captures the highly-charged atmosphere of intoxicating classical-folk-jazz fusion. The result is an electrifying sound experience.