A soloist pays tribute to the maestro we lost

Dear wonderful, beloved, unforgettable maestro Eri Klas,

I cannot write this in any other form than addressing it directly to you, since it will take me a long while in order to really understand that you are no longer with us. The void you left behind is immense. It will not, cannot, be filled again. You were a dear and close friend of our family over 4 generations, starting with my great grandmother Jenny Siimon, and you have been a musical partner with all of us. I was only 4 years old when I first met you, on Christmas eve, and I even remember singing some carols for you, (probably a pain to listen to,).

There are so many things I wanted to thank you for, your ability to make people feel welcome, and “under your wing” when playing with you, your instant youthfulness on the podium, your quick wit, humour, and most of all love towards music. I will forever cherish the memory of playing Mozart Violin Concerto in G-Major with you, for the New Years Eve 2010 concerts in Tallinn and Tartu, as well as the tour to St. Petersburgh, because no matter how tired or sleepless we started to be, you always were reborn the very second you stood onto the podium, radiating your immortal youthful energy into all of our souls, immediately.

I miss you. We will all miss you. With my undying love,

Anna-Liisa Bezrodny
Violinist