Kiviõli Community Center
19th of February at 1 p.m.
ETV Girls’ Choir
Conductor Aarne Saluveer
Programme: Kreek, Tormis, Uusberg, Ehala, Kõrvits etc.
The Girls’ Choir of Estonian Television grew out of the children’s singing studio, which was founded by Eve Viilup and Aarne Saluveer. The choir’s repertoire includes sacred and secular works from various eras, folk music arrangements, pop and jazz music with modern choreography, and large vocal symphonic forms. The choir has been a developmental environment for a whole generation of Estonian musicians – Kai Rüütel , Maria Valdmaa, Hanna-Liis and Hando Nahkur, Vaiko Eplik, Maarja, Hanna-Liina Võsa, Lenna, Nele-Liis Vaiksoo and others. The choir has won several Grand Prix and prizes (including the EBU radio competition “Let the Peoples Sing”). Valuable stage experience has been gained in collaboration with such renowned musicians and orchestras as the ERSO and Neeme Järvi, Paul Hillier and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Eri Klas and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Ona Onabule and Villu Veski, the Estonian National Orchestra, etc. At the concert in Tallinn Town Hall, the choir was praised for its high level and beautiful sound by the world-famous opera singer Jose Carreras. The choir was the first Estonian choir to be invited to the IX World Choir Music Symposium, and in addition to the concert programme, the choir held master classes in choral music from the Nordic and Baltic countries under the guidance of Aarne Saluveer. In August 2012, the Guido d’Arezzo Foundation honored the ETV Girls’ Choir and Aarne Saluveer with the Guidoneum Award for years of versatile musical activities in choral music. In the summer of 2017, the choir represented Estonia in the TV show “Eurovision Choir of the Year 2017” with the programme “Absolut Tormis” dedicated to Veljo Tormis. The choir has also recorded several CDs, the most popular of which are “Ring on täis”, “For Music” and the CD/DVD “Gratias”.
Aarne Saluveer graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory of Music in choral conducting and music pedagogy and furthered his education at the Carl Orff Institute at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He has served as a conductor and promoter of music education on the boards of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM), the World Choral Council, Europa Cantat and the Estonian Music Council, and was Chairman of the Estonian Choral Society from 2000 to 2012. Since 1993 he has conducted children’s and junior choirs at Estonian Song Festivals, and was the Artistic Director of the 10th Youth Song Festival ILMAPUU (2007). From 1990 to 2000 he worked as music editor for children’s programmes on Estonian Television, and from 1990 to 2004 as music director and principal conductor of the Lasteekraani Music Studio. He has been the artistic director of concerts in honour of Queen Elizabeth II and the Japanese Emperor and Empress, and artistic director of the music programme for the 89th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia.
As an instrumentalist, vocalist, composer and arranger, he has participated in renowned pop groups and projects (including Karavan, Elektra, Totu Cool, Surprise Reggae Sunshine Band and others).
He has been awarded the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s annual awards in 1999, 2006 and 2007, the Order of the White Star of the 5th Class, the Guido d’Arezzo Foundation Prize (Italy), the UNICEF Estonian National Committee Annual Award 2002 and 2007, and the Heino Kaljuste Foundation Scholarship 2007. He was chosen Musician of the Year 2007 by the Estonian National Broadcasting and Conductor of the Year 2007 by the Estonian Choral Society.
