Rapla Church
27 July at 19:00
FESTIVAL FINALE CONCERT
TALLINN BRASS ACADEMY
Trumpets: Priit Aimla, Jüri Leiten, Ivar Tillemann, Neeme Ots, Märt Metsla, Mihkel Kallip, Laur Keller
French horns: Kreete Jacob, Jürnas Rähni, Kalle Koppel, Rait Erikson
Trombones: Aabi Ausmaa, Toomas Vana, Peeter Margus, Hendrik Jaak Sepp, Guido Kongas
Tubas: Cornelius Jacobeit, Urmas Kõiv
Percussion: Robert Markus Ridbeck, Rein Roos
Conductor Jaan Ots
PROGRAM
Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), arr. Steven Verhelst
Finlandia, Op. 26
Veljo Tormis (1930–2017), arr. Jüri Leek
Curse Upon Iron
Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881), arr. Elgar Howarth
Suite „Pictures at an Exhibition“
Promenade
The Gnome
Promenade
The Old Castle
Promenade
Tuileries Gardens
The Ox Cart
Promenade
Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks
Two Jews, One Rich and One Poor
Promenade
The Market at Limoges
Catacombs
With the Dead in a Dead Language
The Hut on Hen’s Legs (Baba Yaga)
The Great Gate of Kyiv
TALLINN BRASS ACADEMY traces its history back to 1986, when Aavo Ots founded the TRK (Tallinn State Conservatory) Brass Ensemble. The name changed in 1994 to Brass Academy and, since 2017, the ensemble has been known as the Tallinn Brass Academy. Over the years, the orchestra has commissioned and recorded a significant body of new works by Estonian composers. Under the baton and initiative of Aavo Ots, works by Harri Ots, Ülo Krigul, Timo Steiner, Toomas Trass, Mart Siimer and others have been performed and recorded.
Tallinn Brass Academy has collaborated with world-renowned soloists, including Hans Gansch (longtime trumpet soloist of the Vienna Philharmonic), Miroslav Petkov (principal trumpet of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra), and Adan Delgado Illada (principal trumpet of the Spanish National Orchestra). Notable guest conductors have included Tarmo Vaask (Estonia/Germany), Petri Juutilainen (Finland), Nils Ole-Bo Johanson (Denmark), Patrick Lehmann (Switzerland), Kristjan Järvi (Estonia), Mihhail Gerts (Estonia), among others.
For 37 years, the ensemble’s conductor and artistic director was Aavo Ots, a towering figure in Estonian wind music. At the Rapla Church Music Festival, the audience will experience a rare performance by this exceptional ensemble — a lineup showcasing top Estonian musicians who have been part of the group over its 40-year history. The ensemble is part of the Aavo Ots Music Studio non-profit organization (MTÜ Aavo Otsa Muusikastuudio).
JAAN OTS graduated from Tallinn Music High School, majoring in piano and trumpet (studying with Marja Jürisson and Aavo Ots), and earned his bachelor's degree in piano at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (under Mati Mikalai). He began his conducting studies privately with Professor Olev Oja and continued them at the Estonian Academy under Professor Paul Mägi. For his master's studies, he enrolled in the Sibelius Academy in Finland, specializing in orchestral conducting (under Professors Leif Segerstam and Atso Almila).
He further refined his craft at the Paris Conservatory in the conducting class of Zsolt Nagy and has participated in masterclasses with Eri Klas, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Susanna Mälkki, Thomas Sanderling, and the Järvi Academy. Orchestras he has conducted include Jyväskylä Sinfonia, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Finnish National Opera Orchestra, Hamburg Camerata, Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO), Estonian National Opera Orchestra, Pärnu City Orchestra, Narva City Symphony Orchestra, and Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta.
He has served as an assistant conductor at the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Savonlinna Opera Festival, and the Greek National Opera. Jaan Ots has received numerous awards in youth competitions both in Estonia and internationally and remains an active chamber musician. He is a recipient of a scholarship from the PLMF Music Trust.