This year, the laureate of the “LHV New Composition Award Au-tasu” is the synthesizer concert “Synlith” (2022) by Ülo Krigul. The award was presented on April 28 in the Estonia concert hall as part of the Estonian Music Days festival.
The works of Estonian authors whose world premiere took place in 2022 applied for the competition. This year, 54 works were nominated by 38 composers. Individuals as well as collectives and organizations were invited to submit works for the award. This time, the jury consisted of Märt-Matis Lill (Estonian Composers Union), Talvi Hunt (pianist), Johanna Mängel (Klassikaraadio), Kaspar Mänd (conductor) and Jüri Reinvere (composer, last year’s laureate).
The jury also decided to single out Madli Marje Gildemann’s work “Transpiration” for string orchestra, which forms one part of the composer’s series of works inspired by biological processes “Three Studies on Plant Biology”. Märt-Matis Lill said, that similarly to the other works of the composer’s cycle, Madli Marje Gildemann creates an extremely fascinating and imaginative sound world.
LHV and Estonian Music Days started issuing the prize in 2016 to draw attention to outstanding Estonian composers whose works deserve international recognition. The laureate will receive 6,000 euros and a glass trophy designed by Mare Saare.
In previous years, composers Liisa Hirsch, Toivo Tulev, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Helena Tulve, Märt-Matis Lill, Rasmus Puur and Jüri Reinvere have received the “LHV New Composition Award Au-tasu”.
The Estonian Music Days festival will last until May 7 in Tallinn, Tartu and Laulasmaa. The concerts can be partially watched online via EMP TV and Klassikaraadio on the festival’s website.
The organizer of “LHV’s New Composition Award Au-tasu” is the Estonian Composers’ Union. The partners of the competition are Estonian Music Info Center, Klassikaraadio and ERR. The prize fund is supported by LHV.