PROGRAM

Veljo Tormis (1930–2017)
Jõulud tulevad / Christmas Is Coming

Ester Mägi (1922–2021)
Jõuluõhtul / On Christmas Eve

Silesian folk song / arranged by Aarne Männik (b. 1947)
Maa on nii kaunis / The Earth Is So Beautiful

Giovanni Gabrieli (1557–1612)
Maria Virgo / Virgin Mary

Sacred folk tunes / arranged by Aare Kruusimäe (b. 1972)
– Mu süda, ärka üles (Awake, My Heart – Pühalepa, 2007)
– Ma tänan Sind (I Thank You – Pärnu-Jaagupi, text from Psalm 30:6b*)

Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943)
O magnum mysterium / O Great Mystery

Olav Ehala (b. 1950)
Jõuluingel / Christmas Angel

Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) / arranged by Tõnis Kaumann (b. 1971)
En etsi valtaa, loistoa / I Seek Not Power or Glory

Giovanni Gabrieli
Buccinate in neomenia tuba / Blow the Trumpet at the New Moon

Michael Praetorius (1571–1621) / Jan Sandström (b. 1954)
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen / Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming

Christmas carol / arranged by Tõnis Kaumann
Adeste fideles / O Come, All Ye Faithful

Giovanni Bonato (b. 1961)
Pacem relinquo vobis / I Leave You Peace

Encore:
Irving Berlin (1888–1989)
White Christmas

THE ESTONIAN NATIONAL MALE CHOIR is one of the most renowned and prestigious male choirs in the world. Founded in 1944 by the great Estonian choral conductor Gustav Ernesaks, the choir began as an a cappella ensemble and has grown into a world-famous professional collective, acclaimed especially for its performances of large-scale works. The choir regularly records for the Estonian Public Broadcasting and has collaborated with leading international labels such as Deutsche Grammophon, Sony, Finlandia, Alba Records, GB Records, Virgin Classics, Aurora, and Ondine. In 2004, the choir won Estonia’s first Grammy Award in the choral music category for the recording of Sibelius’s cantatas released by Virgin Classics, featuring the girls’ choir Ellerhein, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, and conductor Paavo Järvi. Over the past seven years, the choir has released five CDs, including In paradisum (2015), a collection of works by Galina Grigorjeva, which received the Estonian Music Award for Best Classical Album. In 2016, the choir recorded Te lucis ante terminum featuring works by Norwegian composer Henrik Ødegaard, released under the Aurora label. The 2018 Sony album featured Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13 with the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Michael Sanderling. Under Ondine, the choir released Sibelius’s Kullervo, performed with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Hannu Lintu. Their latest album, Regiram, features arrangements of Estonian runic songs performed with Celia Roose, Tuule Kann, and Robert Jürjendal. Upcoming releases include albums of Italian composers Giovanni Bonato and Giovanni Gabrieli, as well as works by Baltic composers Erkki-Sven Tüür, Pēteris Vasks, and Justė Janulytė. Since the 2011/2012 season, the choir’s Artistic Director and Chief Conductor has been Mikk Üleoja. Over previous decades, the choir has been led by H. Uibo, U. Järvela, O. Oja, K. Areng, A. Üleoja, A. Soots, and K. Putniņš, among others. The choir’s repertoire spans from Renaissance to 21st-century music. Alongside Estonian composers, it has performed works by world-renowned names such as Dmitri Shostakovich, Otar Taktakishvili, Gavin Bryars, and Giovanni Bonato. Over its long history, the Estonian National Male Choir has given more than 7,000 concerts across Europe, North America, and Asia. Within Estonia’s EV100 centennial program (2017–2019), the choir performed in Belgium, Lithuania, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. In 2019, concerts were held in Strasbourg, Moscow, Linz, and Zurich, with the most recent international performance in Vilnius at the prestigious GAIDA Contemporary Music Festival. In 2015, the choir and Mikk Üleoja were awarded the Estonian State Cultural Award for their outstanding public artistic achievements.

MIKK ÜLEOJA graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music in the conducting class of Prof. Ants Üleoja (1997) and earned his Master’s degree in Music in 2004 under Prof. Toomas Siitan. He has sung with the World Youth Choir (1989–1992), the Estonian National Male Choir (1994–1996), the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (1996–2000), and the Gregorian ensemble Vox Clamantis (1998–2011). Üleoja has served as conductor of the St. Michael’s Boys’ Choir, chief conductor of the Chamber Choir Mattone and the Concert Choir of St. Charles’ Congregation, and has taught conducting at the Viljandi Culture Academy. From 1998 to 2011, he was Choirmaster of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Since the 2011/2012 season, Üleoja has been Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Estonian National Male Choir. Under his direction, seven albums have been released, three of which — In paradisum (2014, Galina Grigorjeva), Te lucis ante terminum (2016, Henrik Ødegaard), and Regiram (2019) — were recorded with the Estonian National Male Choir. His earlier album Luule, see ei tule tuulest (Poetry Does Not Come from the Wind, 2007) with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir received the Cultural Endowment of Estonia Award and was named Best Choral Album of the Year. Grigorjeva’s In paradisum also won the Estonian Music Award for Best Classical Album (2015). Mikk Üleoja was named Conductor of the Year in 2014, and in 2015 he and the Estonian National Male Choir received the Estonian State Cultural Award for their outstanding artistic achievements.