Last night Mikhail Khodorkovsky met Estonian composer Arvo Part for the first time at a memorable recital of Part’s ‘Los Angeles’ symphony, which was written and dedicated to Khodorkovsky in 2008.

Arvo and his wife Nora travelled from Estonia to Zurich for the long awaited meeting at the invitation of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra.  Esteemed Estonian conductor Anu Tali led the Zurich Chamber Orchestra in the recital which also included an appearance from legendary Russian trumpeter Sergej Nakariakov.

The concert came about when, in December 2013, shortly after President Putin released Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Moritz Reissenberger, a member of the artistic department of the Orchestra, discovered the personal dedication to Khodorkovsky in Part’s score. The word’s read:

“With my work I seek to hold out my hand to the prisoner and with him, to all those who are imprisoned, deprived of their rights, in Russia. I dedicate my 4th Symphony to Mikhail Khodorkovsky and wish him peace of mind, in spite of the situation in which he finds himself, all else is beyond my power. I do not know if Mikhail Khodorkovsky will ever hear my composition. Nevertheless, I hope that my messenger pigeon will one day reach distant Siberia.”

During his imprisonment Khodorkovsky had never been able to hear the symphony but has said he had taken great strength from the dedication. As Part and Khodorkovsky met for the first time it was clear that although the messenger pigeon had not reached Siberia, it had landed successfully in Zurich.