Artur Uritamm

September 9, 1901 Tõstamaa parish – July 8, 1982 Pärnu
Member of the Estonian Composers' Union 1940–1950

Artur Uritamm was composer and pedagogue whose worklist consists of orchestral-, chamber- and choral music, and who was active as a music critic as well.

Artur Uritamm graduated from the Pärnu Boys’ Gymnasium in 1922, studied piano in Tallinn Conservatoire in the class of Artur Lemba (1922–1926, studies were distrupted due to injury) and composition in the class of Artur Kapp (1934–1937).

Uritamm was a pedagogue of music theory subjects in Tallinn State Conservatoire (1940–1941, 1945–1946), director if Estonian Music Foundation (1945–1946) and music editor of the weekly newspaper „Sirp ja Vasar“. In 1946, he was illegitimately expelled from employment and in 1950 erased from the list of Estonian Composers’ Union.

Thereafter he worked as the head of the mill in Koluvere and Jõgisoo, sexton and organ player in Kullamaa church (1946–1947), music teacher in Märjamaa High School (1950–1955), piano- and music history teacher in Pärnu Children’s Music School (1955–1961). He was also active as a music critic.

Artur Uritamm has written orchestral works, piano pieces, solo and choral songs. Piano piece „Au printemps“ was awarded the first prize at the composition contest of Estonian Academic Society of Musicians (1937). Orchestral works „In the Light of Dawn“, „Meditation“ and „Of One Beautiful Day of Spring“ have been performed a number of times.

His music has been performed by State Broadcasting Orchestra, later Kalle Randalu, Tiit Kuusik, Neeme Järvi and others. Many of his works have been performed by Pärnu Symphony Orchestra and other Pärnu musicians (Liia Saar, Maigi Raidal, Herbert Pulk and others).

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