Palace Music. Ensemble Floridante & Yena Choi
Yena Choi soprano
Priit Peterson baroque guitar, theorbo
Villu Vihermäe viola da gamba
Saale Fischer harpsichord
Yena Choi (soprano) started with singing in her homeland South Korea at Incheon Arts High School (teacher Myung-Sung Han). She received a Bachelor’s degree in classical singing in 2018 at Seoul National University College of Music (teachers You-Jeong Jin, Hyeon-soo Suk, Yoon-Jeong Choi) and a Master’s degree in 2020 at Estonian Academy of Music and Theater under the guidance of Nadia Kurem.
Yena has performed opera roles, including Gerardino (Puccini’s ‘Gianni Schicchi’) at Goyang Aramnuri Art Center, Knaben (Mozart’s ‘Die Zauberflöte’) at Seoul National University etc. In cooperation with the conductor Tõnu Kaljuste and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra Yena has sung soloist part in Saint-Saëns’ ‘Oratorio de Noël’, Mozart’s Requiem etc. Before coming to Estonia she has also been a soloist of Incheon Full Gospel Church, vocal coach of Incheon Seo-gu Boys and Girls Choir and soloist of Seoul Seosomun Church.
She has also worked as an accompanist for Gabriel Children’s Choir in South Korea, as a concert master for the Mozart’s opera ‘Cosi fan tutte’, as an accompanist for three years at the Apostles Church, and learned piano under the guidance of Mihkel Poll at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.
Since 2021 Yena is a soprano member of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir.
Kadriorg Palace is one the most well known and beautiful historic concert halls in Estonia offering memorable music experiences already for many decades. The tradition of performing music in the baroque palace goes back to 18th century when court music accompanied the daily life. The palace has had the pleasure to welcome many international artists and ensembles for outstanding performances.
The construction of the Kadriorg Palace was started by the Tsar Peter the Great of Russia in 1718. It was named Catharinenthal (in Estonian Kadriorg) in honour of his wife Catherine I. The palace was designed by the Italian architect Nicola Michetti and its abundantly decorated main hall is one of the most exquisite examples of baroque architecture both in Estonia and in northern Europe.
Kadriorg Palace has always been the crown jewel of Tallinn. The small festive tsars’ palace in the style of Roman Baroque, surrounded by a regular garden, with fountains, hedges and flowerbeds, planned after the model of Versailles.
The palace was a summer residence of Russian emperors untill 1917. In the 1920s, and again in 1946-1991 palace served as the main building of the Art Museum of Estonia. In the 1930s, it was the residence of the Head of State of the Estonian Republic. In 2000, it was opened as the Kadriorg Art Museum, which displays the largest collection of old Russian and Western European art in Estonia.
Music has been performed in the palace halls since the 18th century. In the past few decades, the most brilliant Estonian and international musicians have delighted listeners in the palace. Regular concerts started to take place in the Kadriorg Palace again in 2014, when the museum launched the Palace Music Concert Series. The extraordinary acoustics and the magnificent interior of the main hall make every concert a truly enjoyable artistic experience.
The artistic director of the Palace Music Concert Series is Aare Tammesalu.
In cooperation of the Art Museum of Estonia.
Supporters: Estonian Ministry of Culture, The Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Public Broadcasting, Tallinn Culture and Sports Department, UNESCO City of Music Tallinn, Kultuurikõla, Pointprint
Special thanks: Visit Estonia, Visit Tallinn, Õhtuleht
Tickets are on sale at the Kadriorg Art Museum and Piletikeskus outlets.
