St. Mary Magdalene's Lutheran Church in Rapla
15.07 at 7 p.m.
REGIVÄLI
Chamber Choir Head Ööd, Vend 15th anniversary concert
featuring string orchestra Collegium Consonante, conductor Pärt Uusberg
Program: “Regiväli” by Uusberg (world premiere)
*The announcement of Rapla Young Musician 2023 Grand Prix
CHAMBER CHOIR HEAD ÖÖD, VEND originated from the diploma production of the same name by Uku Uusberg in the spring of 2008 when Pärt Uusberg, at his brother's request, invited a project choir together. After the final performance, the spirit of singing together was not lost, and it was decided to continue the activities regularly. The core of the choir consists of young singers who had sung under the guidance of Urve Uusberg in the Rapla Riinimanda choirs for years, and they were joined by singing enthusiasts from Tallinn, Tartu, Kuusalu, and elsewhere. The choir has served as a kind of laboratory for the young composer and conductor Pärt Uusberg, and therefore, from the first season until today, they have performed a lot of his compositions. The choir has successfully participated in various international competitions, with the brightest achievement being the Grand Prix of the international choir competition "Tallinn 2013." Three CDs have been recorded: "Siis vaikivad kõik mõtted" (2009, Pärt Uusberg's authorial album), "Õhtul" (2013, Estonian Choral Association's Choral Album of the Year 2013), and "Õhtu ilu" (2016, Pärt Uusberg's authorial album with the orchestra Collegium Consonante). In 2013, Chamber Choir Head Ööd, Vend was declared Choir of the Year.
COLLEGIUM CONSONANTE is a chamber orchestra founded in 2000 under the leadership of conductor Lehari Kaustel. Its aim is to promote the continuation of high-level church music traditions in Estonia through various outlets such as concerts, song festivals, festivals, and recordings. The orchestra collaborates closely with the Crescendo international network of musicians, which has brought outstanding artists from Finland, Latvia, the Netherlands, and other countries to the orchestra. Composers such as Mart Siimer, Evelin Kõrvits, Lauri Jõeleht, Piret Rips, Liis Jürgens, and Mirjam Tally have written music for the Collegium Consonante's premieres. Lehari Kaustel serves as the chief conductor and artistic director of the orchestra, and Piret Sandberg is the concertmaster.
PÄRT UUSBERG is a young Estonian composer and conductor, born on December 16, 1986, in Rapla. He has graduated from the Georg Ots Tallinn Music School in choral conducting (2009, under the guidance of Heli Jürgenson), obtained a master's degree in composition from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (2014, under the tutelage of Professor Tõnu Kõrvits), and completed another master's degree in choral conducting in 2018 (under Professor Tõnu Kaljuste). Currently, Uusberg works as a freelance composer and conductor. As a composer, he has primarily focused on choral music but has also written chamber, orchestral, and film music. Several albums of his compositions have been released, including "Siis vaikivad kõik mõtted" ("Then All Thoughts Are Silent"), "Liiv, meri ning mõtted" ("Sand, Sea, and Thoughts"), "Õhtu ilu" ("The Beauty of the Evening"), "Luiged läevad" ("Swans Take Flight"), and "Eestimaa atmosfäärid" ("Atmospheres of Estonia"). Since 2008, Uusberg has served as the chief conductor of his own chamber choir, Head Ööd, Vend, and has also conducted various projects as a guest conductor (including the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Estonian National Male Choir, and Voces Tallinn Chamber Choir). He has led the Estonian Mixed Choirs Association's summer school and international workshops. In 2019, Uusberg won the 7th Estonian Young Conductors Competition. At the 2019 Estonian Song Festival, he conducted his own cantata, "Igaviku tuules" ("In the Winds of Eternity"), and he is the artistic director of the upcoming youth song festival, "Püha on maa" ("The Land Is Sacred"). Uusberg has been recognized twice as the Choir Composer of the Year by the Estonian Choral Association (2012, 2018), and he was also awarded the title of Conductor of the Year in 2021 for his accomplishments.