The “LHV New Composition Award 2022” Nominees Announced

Foto: Rene Jakobson

Eight works are nominated for the “LHV New Composition Award 2022”, this year. A record of 67 works from 40 composers was nominated for the competition. Nominations were submitted by individuals, music groups, and organizations. The laureate will receive 6,000 euros and a trophy by the glass designer Mare Saar.

The aim of the competition is to value the active Estonian composers and to highlight a new piece that deserves international attention. Exceptionally, works premiered in 2021, and several pieces from 2020 qualify due to the concerts postponed during the pandemic.

The Jury selected the following nominees:

Elo Masing “Hargnevate teede aed”
Jüri Reinvere “Vom Sterben der Sterne”
Kristjan Kõrver “Sic!”
Krõõt-Kärt Kaev “Glimpses”
Madli Marje Gildemann “Foen nóre”
Maria Kõrvits “Betoon”
Mariliis Valkonen “Vastuvõtt, vahendus”
Ülo Krigul “streeeeeeeeeetch”

Members of the Jury: Tiia Teder (chairwoman of the jury, Klassikaraadio), Kerri Kotta (Estonian Society of Musicology), Iris Oja (mezzo-soprano), Andres Kaljuste (conductor), Taavi Kerikmäe (musician) and last year’s laureate Rasmus Puur (composer, conductor).

According to Tiia Teder, the selection of works submitted to the competition provided a versatile overview of Estonian music. “The year 2021 was rich in premieres! More new works reached the audience than in previous years as several works were postponed due to covid. A great representative selection of Estonian music competed for the award – orchestral works, ensemble pieces, extensive compositions, and small chamber pieces too. It is very nice to see many young authors alongside senior composers, and that the lion’s share of the authors of the nominated works are women. ”

In the three coming weeks of April, Klassikaraadio’s program “Nyyd-Music” will present the works nominated for the award. The winner of the competition will be announced on April 22 at the ERSO concert of the Estonian Music Days.

The cooperation between LHV and the Estonian Composers’ Union began in 2016. In previous years, Liisa Hirsch, Toivo Tulev, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Helena Tulve, Märt-Matis Lill, and Rasmus Puur have won the “LHV New Composition Award”. The organizers of the competition are the Estonian Composers’ Union, the partners are the Estonian Music Information Center, Klassikaraadio, and Estonian Public Broadcasting.

At the 2022 festival, we raise the following questions: why do we do what we do? Why do we do things how we do them? Could we do anything differently, and if so, what? Why do we (not) want to do things differently? And when life is suddenly turned upside down, unexpectedly and irrevocably – what do we do, feel and think then?

Estonian Music Days 2022 “Upside Down” festival programme: eestimuusikapaevad.ee