Lembit Avesson

January 10, 1925 Tallinn – January 12, 2008 Toronto
Buried at the Tallinn Forest Cemetery
Member of the Canadian League of Composers

Composer, organist and choral conductor Lembit Avesson was dedicated writer of sacred music, and gave a noteworthy contribution to the (Estonian) Canadians musical life.

Lembit Avesson studied cello with August Karjus (1938–1944) and organ with August Topman (1942–1944) in Tallinn Conservatoire. In 1944, he exiled and continued organ studies in Germany Augsburg Conservatoire (1946–1947) and Canada Toronto Conservatoire (1948–1957). In 1958, Avesson graduated from the University of Toronto in composition in John Weinzweig’s class.

While studiyng, Avesson worked as an organist and choral conductor in St. Peter’s Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Toronto, later also by several other churches. Since 1980, he was organist in St. Andrews Evangelical Lutheran Church of Toronto.

Lembit Avesson has given organ concerts in Canada and Germany, conducted choirs and orchestras. He founded orchestra Musica Viva, instrumental ensemble Trinity Strings and mixed choir Musica Divina whose repertoire included Lembit Avesson’s own compositions.

The main part of Lembit Avesson’s oeuvre is formed by choral and solo songs, vocal-symphonic works and organ music. Vocal works are written whether on sacred texts or poetry by Estonian classics (Juhan Liiv, Friedebert Tuglas, Gustav Suits, Marie Under, Bernard Kangro). His music is characterized by classical forms, use of polyphony as well as traits of contemporary music.

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