ERSO marks Lepo Sumera's 70th birthday with virtual concert
The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO) is hosting a virtual concert on Friday, to mark what would have been Estonian composer Lepo Sumera's 70th birthday.
To give the audience a virtual image of the Estonia Concert Hall in Tallinn, musicians will perform in different areas of the building, ERSO said in a press release.
The concert can be viewed on ERSO TV here or on Youtube here, and is free of charge, though any support for the orchestra would be greatly appreciated, ERSO says.
Soloists are joined by pianist Kadri-Ann Sumera, Lepo Sumera's daughter, and ERR's Klassikaraadio is broadcasting a recording of last year's concert at the Noblessner Foundry, which featured Sumera's cello concerto, performed by ERSO's Theodor Sink and conducted by Paavo Järvi.
1 ERSO premiered four of the six symphonies by Lepo Sumera (1950-2000), and has often played 'In memoriam', composed by Sumera, in memory of his teacher Heino Eller (1887-1970), as well as Sumera's 'Musica profana', the cello concerto, and the piano concerto.
Lepo Sumera studied composition at the Tallinn Music High School (Tallinna Muusikakeskkool) under Veljo Tormis, and in the Tallinn Conservatoire (Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia) under Heino Eller and Heino Jürisalu. He also received complementary training in the postgraduate programme of the Moscow Conservatory under Roman Ledenyov.
Sumera also composed chamber, vocal, theatre, and film music, and made an important contribution to the field of electroacoustic music. He taught classic composition at the Estonian Academy of Music, and was also the founder and first chairman of the electronic music studio.
Sumera was the first Minister of Culture of the newly independent Estonia 1990-1992, and was chairman of the Estonian Composers' Union (Eesti Heliloojate Liit) for several years.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte