Concert Series Featuring the Torupill

The Torupill—Estonia’s traditional bagpipe—is an instrument with medieval and rural heritage. This concert series bridges the traditional with the contemporary by collaborating with five composers to write works specifically for the Torupill, bringing it into the context of contemporary music for the very first time.

The Torupill was first documented in 1560 during a peasant uprising, where Johannes Renner described a bagpiper riding ahead of the rebels’ leader. Historically, the instrument held a central role in Estonian folk dances and ceremonial events. However, by the early 19th century, its popularity had begun to fade, and the instrument nearly disappeared—until its revival in the 1970s.

The instrument’s capacity for microtonality and tonal flexibility offers composers the opportunity to explore dimensions of intonation, especially when paired with ensemble. This concert series—supported by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation—features works by composers Bill Dougherty, Liisa Hirsch, Klaus Lang, Justina Repečkaitė, and Arash Yazdani.

Further Information:
enmtallinn.com

Dates

November 13, 2025
Kultuurikatel, Tallinn

November 21, 2025
Startbahn-Genezareth Kirche, Berlin

November 23, 2025
Naxos Hallenkonzerte, Frankfurt