Music News

Composer and clarinettist Aadu Regi deceased

Clarinettist and composer Aadu Regi died on 10 October 2011 in age of 98.
His memorial cermony will take place on Monday, 17 October at 13 in Tartu St John's Church.

Aadu Regi (03.11.1912-10.10.2011) was a clarinettist, composer, teacher and conductor who worked mainly in Tartu.

Aadu Regi studied clarinet in Tallinn Conservatory from 1930 until 1935 with Bernhard Lukk. He has played with many orchestras from 1930 until 1944, after that he played in Vanemuise Theatre Symphony Orchestra until 1945. In the years 1945–1951 he was the general manager of Vanemuine Theatre. In 1951 he was arrested in political reasons and was taken to Siberia, where he was in jail from 1951 until 1956. In 1963 he graduated Tallinn State Conservatory with clarinet in Juhan Kaljaspoolik's class, and has complemented his studies in conducting in Leningrad with Ilja Mussin (1963–1964).

Aadu Regi has worked in Heino Eller Tartu Music School from 1944–1990 (with intervals) as the teacher of clarinet and orchestra class. From 1956 until 1959 he was the conductor of Tartu State University Symphony Orchestra, in the years 1959–1972 he conducted the string orchestra and wind orchestra of Heino Eller Tartu Music School and from 1960–1985 he conducted the wind orchestra of Tartu Culturehouse. In the years 1957–1974 he was the general manager of the Provincial Singing Day and in 1994 the conductor of the wind and brass orchestras of the Estonian Song Celebration.

As a composer, Aadu Regi wrote music for stage plays, composed pieces for clarinet, trumpet, violin and wind orchestra (eg. marches The Morning Drives, Young Friends, March of May, Jubilee March) as well as as solo songs. Also, he published a lot of articles on musical subjects, music critics and wrote methodological and memorial books.

Aadu Regi is honorary citizen of the city of Tartu and an honorary member of the Estonian Choral Society since 2002.

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