At the end of 2025, 90-year-old Estonian composer Arvo Pärt once again topped the list of the most performed among currently living composers in the world, writes the portal postimees.ee.
Statistics prepared by the analytical portal Bachtrack, covering more than 31,000 concerts, opera, and dance performances, demonstrate the growing popularity of contemporary composers, as well as the activity of leading conductors and performers on the world stage.
For the residents of Estonia, this news has become a source of special pride: Pärt's anniversary has brought his work to world stages on an unprecedented scale. The composer's son, Michael Pärt, noted:
"In addition to the number of performances, the audience's perception is important. The constant presence of Arvo's music on stages around the world speaks to a growing need for spiritual depth - this is music that unites."
According to the Arvo Pärt Centre, the most performed work last year was Fratres - it was played at 248 concerts. Also among the leaders are:
Da pacem Domine - 141 performances
Magnificat - 100 concerts
Spiegel im Spiegel - 97 concerts
His works were most frequently performed in Germany, Estonia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Netherlands. Following them are Italy, Finland, Switzerland, Australia, and France. The top five most popular composers also included John Williams, Philip Glass, John Adams, and Thomas Adès.
Interestingly, over the past ten years, the share of works by currently living composers in concert programs has doubled, reaching 14%, while among female composers, the number of works included in programs increased from 7 in 2016 to 30 in 2025. The leaders among female composers were Caroline Shaw and Anna Clyne.
Conductors and Performers
In 2025, the most in-demand conductor was Yannick Nézet-Séguin with 120 concerts. The top five active conductors also included Estonians Paavo Järvi and Andris Nelsons (the pride of Latvia), while from the younger generation, Klaus Mäkelä stood out. Among female conductors, Simone Young made it into the top ten with 83 concerts.
Conductor Andris Nelsons
Let us remind you that Andris Nelsons is the music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the principal conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.
Bachtrack also investigated who is the "main traveler" of the classical scene: first place went to Daniel Harding, who performed in 16 countries, followed by Paavo Järvi, who toured in 14 countries. Among pianists, the most traveled were Jan Lisiecki and Sir András Schiff, who is 72 years old.
The centers of classical music traditionally remain Germany, Austria, and Spain. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has dropped from second place in artist attendance in 2016 to sixth, which is explained by visa restrictions after Brexit and rising travel costs.
Austria receives almost twice as many touring ensembles with a population ten times smaller than that of the United Kingdom.
