Composer, ECU member since 2002Born on 14.12.1974
Lauri Jõeleht (born 1974) graduated from the Georg Ots Tallinn Music School in 1996, where he studied classical guitar under Tiit Peterson. He subsequently continued his studies at the Barcelona Conservatory (1996–1997) in the class of José Luis Lopategui. In 2001, he graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music with a degree in composition, having studied with Professor Eino Tamberg and Helena Tulve. In 2003, he obtained his Master’s degree from the same institution under the supervision of Helena Tulve and Toivo Tulev.
Lauri Jõeleht has composed chamber, orchestral, and choral music. His works have been performed by the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO), Estonian Sinfonietta, Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta, Narva City Symphony Orchestra, Kaliningrad Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble U:, Tallinn New Music Ensemble, M4gnet Quartet, Ensemble Voces Musicales, Reval Ensemble, Collegium Consonante, Una Corda, Estica Wind Quintet, Ensemble Ars Nova, Vox Clamantis, Heinavanker, Orthodox Singers, Linnamuusikud, Voces Musicales, Baltic Percussion Trio, Estonian Percussion Group, and many others.
Solo works occupy an important place in Jõeleht’s output, and several have been performed repeatedly by distinguished musicians. Notable examples include Chant Harmonique, performed by violist Garth Knox, and Ampla, performed by oboist Kalev Kuljus. His guitar compositions have been performed by Stefan Östersjö, Kirill Ogorodnikov, Kristo Käo, and the composer himself.
He maintains close artistic collaborations with performers such as Ene Nael, Kristel Aer, Heigo Rosin, Marcel Johannes Kits, Irina Zahharenkova, Dmitri Bulgakov, Henri Zibo, Momir Novakovic, Anna-Liisa Bezrodny, and many others.
His works have been conducted by Lev Markiz, Arvo Volmer, Jüri Alperten, Risto Joost, Valle-Rasmus Roots, Kaspar Mänd, Jaan-Eik Tulve, Andres Kaljuste, Mikk Murdvee, and Taavi Kull.
His music has been featured at numerous international festivals, including ISCM World Music Days, the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Estonian Music Days, NYYD, Trialogos, AFEKT, Intersonanzen, Bach & Now, and Festival ARĒNA.
In August 2024, Lauri Jõeleht was composer-in-residence at the Tallinn Chamber Music Festival. In December 2024, a concert dedicated to his music took place at St. Nicholas’ Church (Niguliste) in Tallinn. The event featured the world premiere of his Guitar Concerto, performed by Kirill Ogorodnikov and the Estonian Sinfonietta. The concert also offered a substantial overview of his recent compositions, with performances by Kalev Kuljus, Anna-Liisa Bezrodny, Ulla Krigul, Dmitri Bulgakov, and others.
In recent years, Jõeleht has also composed instrumental concertos for accordion, Estonian zither (kannel), and cello.
His composition Loobumus (Renunciation) won First Prize at the solo classical guitar composition competition organized by the Estonian Guitar Society in 2003. His work Concordia for two guitars received the Composer’s Prize at the Estonian Music Days festival in 2005.
Chant Harmonique, written for Garth Knox and Ensemble U:, represented Estonia at the International Rostrum of Composers in 2021.
Lauri Jõeleht has released two albums dedicated to his own compositions: Austusavaldus Kuldajastule (Homage to the Golden Age, 2023) and Music for Piano (2024).
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