Piret Rips-Laul

b. January 19, 1965, Valga
Member of the Estonian Composers' Union since 2004

Piret Rips-Laul is one of the best-known authors of children and youth songs nowadays. Many of her songs have frequently been performed at children singing competitions and national song festivals and reached music schoolbooks. Other part of her oeuvre is formed by sacred choral music - being also an active choral conductor has motivated her to create constantly new repertoire for her collectives. Her musical idiom is characterized by catchy and captivating melodies and lively rhythms which have gained wide popularity to her songs.

Piret Rips-Laul has graduated from Tallinn Music High School in piano performance in 1983 and Tallinn State Conservatory in the piano class of Liina Jõks in 1988. In 2004, she graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music in composition with René Eespere and continued her studies in master's studies of music education in Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.

She has worked as a piano teacher in Nõmme Children Music School (1988-1989) and Tallinn Old Town Educational College (1989-2000). From 2003, Rips-Laul was working as a teacher of music theory subjects in Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, 2007-2008 in Gustav Adolf Gymnasium Music School as well. From 2000 to 2004, Rips-Laul worked in Tallinn Methodist Church as a piano accompanist and choral conductor of chamber choir Credo, children ensemble Lootus and Tallinn Gospel Choir. Up to 2007 she was the artistic director of Tallinn Gospel Choir, to which she is still writing amply of new gospel music and arrangements and with whom she has released the first Estonian gospel CD (“Plenty good room”, 2005). Currently she holds a post of director at Võru Music School.

Rips-Laul has written more than 100 songs for various choir types and soloists, numerous of them on her own lyrics. Her musical “First Christmas” was premiered in 2002, vocal-symphonic work “Stabat mater” in 2004, cantata “Bells of the land of souls” in 2007. One of her most performed choral song “Paradisi gloria” was an obligatory piece in the 5th State Competition for Students Mixed Choirs in 2005. Her songs have been performed at all recent song celebrations: “I Don't Want to Go” for children's choir (Youth Song Celebration 2007), “Fathers and Sons” for boys' and male choir and “Men and Women” for mixed choir (General Song Celebration 2009), “Being a Part of My Land” for children's choir and “Make Life Beautiful With Your Singing” for girls' choir (Youth Song Celebration 2011), “Time” for female choir (General Song Celebration 2014), “Grasshopper's Summer Song” for toddlers' choir (Youth Song Celebration 2017).

Piret Rips-Laul has achieved numerable prizes for her work. Choral song “For Mother” got the special prize in Estonian Male Song Society's composition contest in boys' and mixed choirs category (2000); “Beautiful Deeds” and “Let's Go!” for children choir got the consolation prize in Estonian Song and Dance Celebration Foundation's contest for songs for children's, boys' and toddlers' choirs (2002); “Fears” won the 1st prize and “Strawberry Music” the 2nd prize at the competition Lastelaul 2003 organised by Music Studio of Estonian Television's Children's Program, “Strawberry Music” was successful also in international contest for children's songs in Salo, Finland, achieving 3rd place (2003); “There Must Be a Police” was credited in the children's song contest organised by Estonian Police Agency (2003); “Again” for mixed choir was awarded in composition contest dedicated to the 95th anniversary of Gustav Ernesaks (2003). In 2005, Piret Rips-Laul was ascribed the Riho Päts School Music Foundation Stipendium.

Her works have been published in Estonia, Germany, Sweden, USA and recorded on more than 30 albums in Estonia and abroad. In 2012, Rips's authorial compendium "Songbook for Children and Boys Choirs" was published by Piret Muusik.

© EMIC 2008
Updated in October 2017

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