Age Veeroos

b. May 11, 1973, Võru
Member of the Estonian Composers' Union since 2003

Age Veeroos graduated from the University of Tartu in German philology in 1998. 1993/1994 she studied literature at the University of Göttingen. Composition studies followed in Tartu Heino Eller Music School from 1996–1998. In 2006 she obtained master degree cum laude in composition with Helena Tulve and Eino Tamberg at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT). In 2005/2006, Veeroos improved her skills at the Karlsruhe Higher Music School under Professor Wolfgang Rihm.

Veeroos has completed the program of doctoral studies in EAMT, in order to apply for a degree, she is working on the research on the role of sul ponticello on bowed string instruments in sound processes. During doctoral studies she has read papers at the international conferences: Doctors in Performance. The 2nd festival conference of music performance and artistic research, 2016 Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin; III Conference of Doctoral Students (artistic research), 2016 EAMT, Tallinn.

Age teaches composition in Tartu Heino Eller Music School. Formerly she has worked as a lecturer in EAMT composition department, in Tallinn Music High School, Georg Ots Tallinn Music School. Additionally she is the leader of the annual composition competition “Young Composer” and the Loomelabor composition summer school.

During studying years she attended several international courses for composers, including Salvatore Sciarrino’s master class in Rome (2004), IRCAM Summer Course in Paris (2004) and Centre Acanthes Summer Course in Metz, France (2005) under the tutelage of the Arditti String Quartet members. She also attended masterclasses with Michael Finnissy, Betsy Jolas, Veli-Matti Puumala and Georg Friedrich Haas.
Veeroos’ works have been performed by Ensemble Musikfabrik (conductor Clement Power), Sinfonietta Rīga String Quartet, Slagwerk Den Haag, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (cond. Risto Joost), Hashtag Ensemble, Arditti String Quartet, Ensemble U:, Una Corda, Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra (cond. Risto Joost), Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (cond. Paul Hillier), soloists from Estonia and abroad. Her music has been presented at the Baltic Music Days Festival, ISCM World Music Days, Estonian Music Days Festival, International Contemporary Music Festival Afekt etc.

“Psalmodia”, commissioned by the University of Tübingen for its 525th anniversary celebrated in 2002 had its premiere with Monika Mauch (soprano) and the Academic Choir & Orchestra of the University (conductor Tobias Hiller). In 2005, being one of ten young composers, Age was selected and commissioned for “Kulturjahr der Zehn”, a project that introduced new European Union countries. Interludes for Franz Schubert's “Winterreise”, among others Age’s Prelude to “Die Nebensonnen” were premiered by Roman Trekel (bariton), Burkhard Kehring (piano) and Leipziger Sinfonietta (cond. Johannes Harneit) in Berlin Philharmonic Hall (May 2005). In the same year, she participated in six composers’ operas “As time goes by” of Staatsoper Hannover. In 2008 and 2009 Veeroos’ short opera “Tuleloitsija” (“Fire Enchanter”) was staged in Tallinn as a project of Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (libretto Age Veeroos, stage director Liis Kolle, conductor Risto Joost).

In 2010, Veeroos with 6-member team won the main prize (25000 euro) at the competition of music theatre project Operare 2010, organised by Zeitgenössische Oper Berlin. Multimedia opera “Grid” with Age’s music was staged in 2011 in Berlin, Kulturbrauerei (libreto & stage direction Korneel Hamers, video Julian Bergheim,  stage design Julia Rommel), performers Celine Hänni (soprano), Andres Köster (tenor), Roomet Jakapi (male voice), Richard Craig (flutes), Riivo Kallasmaa (oboe), Jandra Puusepp (saxophon), Lars Burger (double bass), Tammo Sumera (electronics), Taavi Kull (conductor).

In 2020 The European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) nominated Age’s work “Ma olen suur kuu su silmapiiril” (“I am the big moon on your horizon”) (2020) for the European Orchestra of Contemporary Composers (ECCO) concert. As a part of the 60-minute program, drawn up on the basis of a referendum her piece was chosen for the 17th online edition, recorded and performed on Youtube February 2021 by Joey Marijs (Slagwerk Den Haag). In 2023, Veeroos received Lepo Sumera Composition Award.

Age Veeroos's homepage: www.ageveeroos.com
Soundcloud

© EMIC 2006
(updated February 2022)

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