A new work for choir and piano
Featuring the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir & Karolina Aavik
Commissioned by the New York Estonian Mixed Choir, Kauge kaja sets original poetry by Jim Ashilevi and reflects on home, distance, and memory. Following performances in New York and Tallinn, the work accompanies the opening of KESKUS—the International Estonian Centre in Toronto.
August 14, 2026
Estonian-born composer Jonas Tarm writes music shaped by his country’s rich choral tradition, combining contemporary concert music with a cinematic sense of atmosphere and emotional narrative. Based between New York and Tallinn, his work spans the concert hall, film, and interdisciplinary collaborations, frequently exploring themes of memory, belonging, and the idea of home.
His music has been commissioned and performed by leading orchestras and ensembles in Europe and North America, including the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, the New York Virtuoso Singers, Boston Musica Viva, and the New York Youth Symphony. Alongside his concert music, Tarm is an active film composer whose work includes original scores and collaborations on productions for Netflix and Apple TV+. His compositions have been recognized with the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award, the Black Nights Film Festival Music Meets Film Award, and the National YoungArts Award.
Photo: Bela Baptiste