Heino Jürisalu

13.08.1930, Tartu – 18.04.1991, Tallinn
Member of the Estonian Composers Union since 1956

Composer and pedagogue Heino Jürisalu started music studies with piano lessons with Amanda Jentson, and continued with composition in Heino Eller’s class at the Tallinn State Conservatoire, graduating in 1954.

In years 1950–1969, he worked as sound engineer and music composer at the Estonian Radio and Estonian Television, he was the author of many radio program signatures ("Päevakaja", "Vikerkaja", 1959).
In 1969–1991, he taught composition at the Tallinn State Conservatoire (Associate Professor since 1985), the most known of his students are Lepo Sumera and Kaupo Uibo.
Between 1969–1970, Jürisalu worked as a consultant at the Estonian Composers' Union and since 1974, he was the chairman of the School Music Commission. Jürisalu was also one of the first supporters and initiators of Carl Orff music system, he was the founder and lecturer of Estonian Carl Orff Centre (1991).

Heino Jürisalu was also an avid researcher and performer of early music. In years 1970–1988 he led early music ensemble Consortium. Jürisalu played many instruments, most of all recorders. For this instrument he wrote study books 132 finger exercises for soprano or tenor recorder (1973) and Studies on alto recorder (1986), and composed new repertoire.

Heino Jürisalu has composed works in various genres. He has created music for orchestra as well as chamber works, where an important place is held by woodwind and brass instruments. He has also written choral works, some dais music and music for films and stage plays.
In 1959, his orchestral piece Three Estonian Dances won a Silver Medal in World’s Youth and Students' Festival in Vienna.

© EMIC 2010

The texts on the EMIC's homepage are protected by the copyright law. They can be used for non-commercial purposes referring to the author (when specified) and source (Estonian Music Information Centre).