Anto Pett

b. August 4, 1960 Kiviõli

Anto Pett is one of the most well-known free improvisators and improvisation teachers in Estonia.

Anto Pett graduated with piano studies from the Tallinn Music High School in 1978 under the guidance of Ene Metsjärv. He continued studies at the Tallinn State Conservatoire in piano class of Virve Lippus, studying also composition with Eino Tamberg and improvisation with Hugo Lepnurm, and graduating in 1983. Anto Pett has improved his skills in France, Bordeaux's (2003).

Since 1987, Anto Pett is teacher of free improvisation at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (since 1998 docent, since 2002 professor). His students include Tanel Joamets, Tarmo Johannes, Ursula Saal, Anne-Liis Poll, Tauno Aints, Anto Õnnis, Priit Lehto, Inga Lehto, Leonora Palu, Kristi Mühling, Kristjan Hallik and winners of international improvisation contest in Leipzig – Taavi Kerikmäe, Jorma Toots, Jane Susi, Ebe Müntel and Karin Hallingu.

Anto Pett has long-time improvisation teaching experience, he has developed original teaching method and intoroduced it in several music academies in Europe (Helsinki, Stockholm, Leipzig, Odense, Paris, Riga, Marseille, Bordeaux, Vilnius, Glasgow, Gdańsk ect.), and has published tutorials. In 2007, publishing house Fuzeau published his book Anto Pett’s Teaching System, that has been ordered now from all over the world. He is one of the most well-known improvisation music promotor and developer in Estonia. In 2000–2006 Pett was consultant and participant of the international festival Improvizz. He has founded ensemble ProImPro (1998) and participated with it at festivals in Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Germany and England. Pett has given improvisation concerts in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Denmark, France and Great Britain, where he released solo CD "Introducing Anto Pett" (Erol Records, 2003). Anto Pett has been a member of several improvisation ensembles such as Free Tallinn Trio (with Anne-Liis Poll and Jaak Sooäär) and Crossing Borders Quartet (with Anne-Liis Poll, Jaak Sooäär and Wolf Kerchek). Pett has recorded over 10 CD-s in France with improvisation musicians as Kent Carter, Étienne Rolin, Émilie Biayenda and Bruno Maurice. Anto Pett has been member of Estonian Composers Union (1985–2000).

Anto Pett's selected compositions:
Piano Concerto (1983)
String Quartet (1984)
Trio for flute, cello and clarinet (1982)
Trio for clarinet, cello and piano (1984)
Sonata for clarinet and piano (1982)
Sonata for flute and piano (1984)
Sonata for cello and piano (1984)
Movements I–III for piano (1987)
Four Songs on the texts by Hando Runnel and Mats Traat (1983)

Honours:

- II prize at Čiurlionis piano contest in Vilnius (1978)
- laureate diploma at young composers’ festival in Yerevan (1981)
- IV prize and special prize at Estonian pianists’ contest (1981)
- III prize at all-union young composers contest in Moscow (1983)
- IV prize and special prize at international contest of contemporary music ensembles in Düsserdolf (1996)
- Annual Prize of Estonian Cultural Endowment for Music (for developing improvisation art, 2008)

Links:
http://youtu.be/nak6BZKkXxg
http://youtu.be/oFy0hiP4nzo
http://youtu.be/EFL7OgoN3To

Anto Pett and Christoph Baumann:
http://youtu.be/i5uIelWcsMc
http://youtu.be/LhFvwhDdWls
http://youtu.be/iHzkwx-zcNw
http://youtu.be/tZt56U4IL74


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