Malle Maltis won first prize in Austria, at the international live-electronic music competition with her new composition
Chameleon chant. Malle Maltis'
Chameleon chant for violin and live-electronics was premiered by
Barbara Lüneburg and the electronic part by
Tammo Sumera.
The board of Estonian Composers’ Union chose five works that were sent to represent Estonia at the
ISCM (International Society for Contemporary Music)
World New Music Days 2011 in
Zagreb, Croatia.
From
22 to 27 March,
Estonian Music Days takes place. In 2010, the annual festival for Estonian composers' music focuses on
composer recitals. The programme can be viewed
here.
At the closing concert on 10 February, the jury chose
Pärt Uusberg with Psalm of David No. 121 to be the winner of the competion Psalm of David. Second Prize went to
Mari Amor and her
Jehovah Hath Reigned, He Hath Put on Glory and Third Prize to
Martin J. Sildos (Psalm of David No. 146). The jury also decided to give out two special prices: to
Tõnis Kaumann for
By the Rivers of Babylon and
Evelin Seppar for Psalm of David No. 88.
The work by
Tatjana Kozlova,
Dimension of Quiescence for saxophone and percussions was chosen for the program of this year's ISCM festival. The work was written for the Estonian Music Days 2009 in co-operation with Tarvo Hanno Varres, accompanying a video.
On 1 February, the CD+DVD compilation Requiem by Jüri Reivere will be released. Requiem is written for solo flute, four male voices and narrative text by Estonian composer Jüri Reinvere who lives in Berlin. The poetic text written by Reinvere in English focuses on man and time, humans continuous and merciless meeting with loss and disembarkation from the labyrinth of losses.
On Sunday 24 January, a musical spectacle
Ilmatar, Song of the Origins (
Ilmatar, le chant des origines) will be premiered in France (Guebwiller, Alsace). The spectacle was adapted for stage by Lionel Parlier and Marti Ilmar Uibo, based on Finnish national epos
Kalevala and using the metric translation by Jean-Louis Perret. Uibo is also the artistic and musical director of the play, the music has been written by Estonian composer Margo Kõlar.
At the Weekend (On 22 to 24 January), there are presentational events at the joint festival of Pärnu Days of Contemporary Music and
Printmaking In. The program includes a seminar on the terminology of contemporary music and dance (22 January), also a Symposium on skolastika and Brian Ferneyhough (23 January). These events are followed by a discussion (24 January).
Arvo Pärt’s
In Principio has been nominated for the Grammy Award in the Best Classical Contemporary Composition. According to Estonian Philcharmonic Chamber Choir, the recording candidates in the category of A Composer's Award for a contemporary classical composition.
On 26 November, Laine Jänes, the Minister of Culture announced composer Erkki-Sven Tüür the Citizen of the Year. The title was announced at the conference
The Nurcery of Good Citizen.
The Competition of Taaveti Laul (Psalm of David) was closed on 1 November. 22 compositions on new translations of Psalms of David were submitted in the competition, carried out by Estonian Composers’ Union and Pirita Monastery.
On Monday 19 October, the first issue of Res musica was introduced, the pre-reviewed science magazine of Estonian Musicology Association and the Musicology Department of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. The magazine will be published once a year, it has an international editorial staff, the chief editor is Prof. Urve Lippus and executive editor Anu Sõõro. The first issue of Res musica contains articles on music history by Toomas Siitan, Martin Loeser, Geiu Rohtla, Andreas Waczkat, Karl Traugott Goldbach, Seija Lappalainen and Fabian Dahlström.
A new opera
Exploration of the Indies by Märt-Matis Lill (libreto by Jan Kaus, staged by Mart Koldits) will be premiered at NYYD Festival that began on Tuesday, 20 October. The extraordinarily formed chamber opera that is based on enormous literature material draws lines between some of Märt-Matis Lill’s favorite subjects – late Middle Ages, the extermination of the culture of American Indians and the bottlenecks of western culture. Actors, singers, jazz musicians, choir and orchestra participate in this opera side by side.
On Friday 16 October, composer Erkki-Sven Tüür celebrates his 50th birthday. The most considerable event among the celebrations is the concert that will be held in the Estonia Concert Hall on 16 October at 7 pm in contribution of Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir conducted by Arvo Volmer.
On 8 October, the board of Estonian Composers’ Union chose six works that were sent to represent Estonia at the ISCM (International Society for Contemporary Music) World New Music Days 2010 in Sidney, Australia.
On 1 October, the International Music Day, Estonian Music Council and the Sound Capital of Estonian Cultural Endowment gave out prizes, some of which were granted to the members of Estonian Composers' Union.
