Tarmo Lepik

November 9, 1946 Tallinn – March 10, 2001 Tallinn
Buried at the Tallinn Pärnamäe Cemetery
Member of the Estonian Composers' Union since 1979

Composer and musicologist Tarmo Lepik has remained in the Estonian music history with his novel oriented choral songs and colorful chamber music.

From 1962–1966, Tarmo Lepik studied choral conducting and music theory in Tallinn Music High School, including composition under Veljo Tormis. In 1977, Lepik graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory in musicology (diploma thesis Witold Lutoslawski’s String Quartet, supervisor Leo Normet).

Lepik worked as a senior tecnichian in Estonian Radio computation centre (1969–1970) and a teacher of music theory subjects in Georg Ots Tallinn Music School (1974–1980).

The body of Lepik’s oeuvre is formed by choral music. His musical idiom is governed by avant-garde methods: clusters, glissandos, whispers. In technically rather complicated songs one may encounter melodies with big leaps as well as melodies with narrow range, melting into the moving sound field. The musical structure carries the main importance in Lepik’s works – an order dominates there, metres and techniques are mathematically thought through. Compared to conventional treatment, his folklore thematic works may be taken more abstract, folk tune is used also with modern techniques.

Three Impressions was awarded the 3st prize at the all-union young composers’ contest in Moscow (1968). Lepik’s other choral songs have won numerous prizes in state contests: Cradle World (1980) and Nocturne (1988) 1st prize, Three Betti Alver’s Poems (1974) and At the Gate of the Sea (1984) 2nd prize, For the Memory of Lenin (1979) 3rd prize.

His choral music has been performed by Tallinn Chamber Choir, Estonian National Male Choir, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and others in several places in Europe, Russia and USA.

His works have been published by SP Muusikaprojekt, also his author-CD has been released (Matrix Audio, 2004).

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