Lauri Jõeleht’s Jubilee Concert: A Musical Gift for the Elderly

On 14 December, composer and guitarist Lauri Jõeleht celebrated his 50th birthday. On this occasion, Lauri's jubilee concert "The Horizon" took place in St Nicholas Church in Tallinn. Thanks to the Order of Malta and our volunteers, the elderly from nursing homes of Kose and Südamekodu received a unique musical experience, as they were guided to the magical world of classical music by oboe, organ and guitar sounds. 

A Special Journey to the Old Town

Despite the rainy weather, the trip to the Old Town was an experience in itself for the elderly. The lives of the elderly are often lonely, and their days are spent walking between the walls of nursing homes and in small courtyards. But the rest of the world, so familiar to us that it makes us even bored, is out of reach for them. All it took was a drive along the Pirita road and a view from a bus window to the sea, the medieval charm of the historic old town, to create excitement and an exalted mood. Some of the group members had never visited St. Nicholas Church before, which gave the whole anniversary concert a special extra dimension. 

Why St. Nicholas Church? A Venue Chosen for its Acoustics

The venue was chosen by the composer himself, Lauri, because of the special acoustics of the concert place. These were also decisive in the choice of the compositions. Among others, the piece "Morning Star", written for guitar, was premiered. Lauri has been strongly inspired by the music of Spain's Golden Age and has also studied guitar in Spain. The highlight of the evening was the organ piece "Prayer in Darkness". In addition to the main organ of St. Nicholas' Church, the Baroque organ on the right side of the church and the portative organ on the left side were integrated to perform this magnificent piece. All the listeners had to do, was to sit, relax and let the sounds carry them.

Making Culture Accessible to All

A total of 12 elderly people with mobility difficulties, who would not have been able to attend the concert on their own, attended. The interest in the concert was exceptionally high and the number of people who wanted to attend was more than the size of our volunteer team and the capacity of our transport allowed. As a result, there are definitely plans to continue attending cultural events in the future. We want to ensure that all people wishing to attend are treated equally and fairly. In the past, we have participated a concert of the Vienna Boy’ Choir at the Russian Theatre and next we plan to visit the Natural History Museum and Kumu (Estonian Art Museum). 

The Impact of Cultural Experiences on the Elderly

Elena Zolotov, member of the board of the Kose nursing home, said: “Daily care and attention is at the heart of our work, therefore cultural experiences and social events add joy and variety to the lives of our clients. Thanks to the Order of Malta, our clients were able to enjoy beautiful music and spend an evening in church - a touching and special moment for many of the. The music brought memories, peace and positive emotions that was seen on their faces. We are sincerely grateful to the Order of Malta for this opportunity and hope that we will be able to offer similar experiences to our clients in the future."

The Power of Simple Acts of Kindness

Sometimes, very simple human acts are all that takes to make the world a better place. In our everyday rush and businesses we may easily overlook them. But there are people around us who are unable to get around on their own, who are not able to move or live their daily lives without the help of the others. Let us think for a moment that eventually, none of us is immune from old age and illnesses - one day we will be in the same situation where we may need support. Events such as attending Lauri’s jubilee concert and trips to cultural events also help us to understand others and, in small but important steps, build a more cohesive and caring society. This is one of the primary missions of the Order of Malta in Estonia.

We would like to express our special gratitude to Transport Ennetaja for organising transport for the elderly.