Tulev Toivo
Born in 1958. From 1976 to 1980 he studied at the department of theory and composition at the G. Ots High School of Music in Tallinn under Anti Arguste. In 1990 he graduated from the Tallinn Conservatoire in the composition class of Eino Tamberg. In 1991 he undertook private studies with Sven-David Sandström at the High School of Music in Stockholm, and in 1996 he began studies in electroacoustic music at the High School of Music in Cologne. In 1998 he took part in a postgraduate course at the Estonian Academy of Music.
During the years 1991–98 he was a member of the Chamber Choir of the Estonian Philharmonic. His active participation in many vocal ensembles of early music, particularly Gregorian chant, had a significant influence on the idiom of his music.
His works have been commissioned and performed at many European festivals, such as Baltic Art in Great Britain, MaerzMusik in Berlin, Gaida in Vilnius, Nyyd in Tallinn, by Nieuw Ensemble, Berlin Philharmonic and Warsaw Autumn. In 1998 his composition was included in the programme of the prestigious Composium festival in Japan, devoted to Toru Takemitsu. Two of his works, Opus 21 for chamber orchestra and his Violin Concerto, were in the top ten compositions selected by UNESCO’s International Rostrum of Composers in Paris, in 1996 and 2002 respectively. On three occasions, in 2001, 2003 and 2006, he was the recipient of the Annual Award of the Estonian Culture Foundation, and in 2002 he was also awarded a scholarship of that foundation. Since 1992 he has been a member of the Estonian Composers’ Union. His two authorial discs were released by Estonian Radio (Be Lost in the Call, 2004) and Harmonia Mundi (Songs, 2008). His publisher is Theatre of Voices.
S e l e c t e d w o r k s: Signum for symphony orchestra (1990), Quella sera for chamber orchestra (1996), Gare de l’Est for chamber ensemble (1999), Violin Concerto (2001), Ambra for symphony orchestra (2002), Cruz, ballet (2002), Don’t Call Him Too Earlyfor ensemble (2002), Be Lost in the Call for 14 instruments (2003), Deux, concerto for flute and chamber orchestra (2004), In You, Void of Yourself for instrumental ensemble (2006), Before, concerto for cello and chamber orchestra (2006), Future Continuous for symphony orchestra (2008), Flow, concerto for percussion and chamber orchestra (2008–09), Beatrice, opera to a libretto by the composer and Mare Raidma based on Dante’s La vita nuova (2010), Descendit for violin, oboe, piano and string orchestra (2011).
