Estonian composer Arvo Pärt has received the 2023 Polar Prize.

The contemporary classical composer’s career includes vocal and sacred choral works, music written for set pianos, and orchestral pieces. He is known best for his creation of “tintinnabuli,” a minimalist compositional technique, and experiments with the twelve-tone technique, serial music, and collage styles.

The Polar Prize website reads, “Composer Arvo Pärt has likened his music to white light. It is in the encounter with the prism of the listener’s soul that all colors become visible. Anyone who has heard his laconic, reduced compositions will understand this perfectly.”

Past recipients of the prestigious award include Anna Netrebko, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and Iannis Xenakis.