Through support from Merko, the Niguliste Museum has been endowed with a concert piano. The parlour grand was inaugurated with a concert by the young Estonian pianist Tähe-Lee Liiv on 13 March.
Merko is a longtime supporter of art and culture, and has close ties with the Art Museum of Estonia, above its Niguliste Museum branch. Cooperation with Niguliste began 25 years ago, when we provided support for the establishment of the Silver Chamber permanent exhibition.
“From the bottom of our heart, thank you to our long-time supporter Merko. It’s a pleasure and an honour that the museum has dedicated partners whose support makes it possible for Niguliste Museum to develop and grow. The new concert piano will further strengthen the role of Niguliste as a high-calibre concert venue,” said the museum director, Merike Kurisoo.
Besides the Silver Chamber exhibition (2001), other projects completed in the partnership include the glass lift in the St. Nicholas Church steeple (2023) and new exhibition technology for the late-medieval-era Danse Macabre (2018). Merko was also a major sponsor of the research and conservation project “Rode Altarpiece in Close-Up” (2012‒2016) and helped procure new auditorium seating for the museum (2024).
“For years, we have helped the museum display their vast art collections in a contemporary manner and the glass lift born out of cooperation has opened up beautiful vistas for visitors. We hope that the new piano will bring even more concerts in this hall with its amazing atmosphere and acoustics and, along with them, more and more new art and music fans,” said member of the Merko Ehitus management board Tõnu Toomik.
Estonia Pianos’ Model 225, a parlour grand, embodies the more than two centuries of Estonian piano building traditions. The characteristic singing, warm and resonant tone of pianos made by Estonia opens a rich aural space for the pianist, where a pianissimo can blossom into a fortissimo reminiscent of pealing cathedral bells, conjuring up expressive, colourful musical landscapes for the listener.
At the inaugural concert and ceremony of gratitude, these nuances were summoned by one of the country’s most outstanding young pianists, Tähe-Lee Liiv, who frequently performs as a soloist and chamber musician both in Estonia and internationally. Her solo concert on the new Estonia grand at the Niguliste Museum included four composers with different aesthetic – Pärt, Janáček, Debussy and Grieg.
The next piano concerts are coming soon in the context of the museum’s own programme and organized by partners.
Read more about Merko’s art and culture projects here: Culture and artistic heritage.
