Anne Ellerhein-Metsala

b. March 13, 1934 – d. September 13, 2015

Composer and music pedagogue Anne Metsala (to 1959 Ellerhein) began her music studies by her godfather Cyrillus Kreek in 1943, thereafter studied piano with Anna Klas in Tallinn Children’s Music School (1949–1950) and Tallinn Music School (1950–1952). In 1953, she graduated from the Tallinn Music School in music theory (composition teachers were Edgar Arro and Villem Kapp) and in 1959, Tallinn State Conservatory in composition in the class of Villem Kapp and Mart Saar.

Anne Metsala has worked as a teacher of piano and music theory subjects in Tallinn Pedagogical Institute (1959–1960), Tallinn 21st Secondary School (1960–1962), Tallinn Music School (1961–1999), Georg Ots Tallinn Music School (1982–1997) and Tallinn Old Town Music School (1999–2006). She has compiled songbooks and schoolbook Solfeggio for Beginners: I-II Grade (1996) and given lectures on methodology for teachers. Also she has held a position of assistant organist in Tallinn Oleviste Church.

Anne Metsala is foremost known as a composer of sacred music, music with original sense of harmony and virtuosity of polyphony. Her worklist includes Piano Concerto (1959), pieces for cello, piano and organ and number of choral and solo songs. Her choral songs have won prizes at several composition competitions (Three Song of Texts by Juhan Liiv, Song for the Man of Tomorrow, Son’s Eyes). Her songs have been performed by Estonian National Male Choir, Estonian Radio Mixed Choir, Chamber choir Gloria and many church choirs. Piano Concerto was performed by Heljo Sepp, cello pieces have been performed by Allar Kaasik, piano works Peep Lassmann and many others. Metsala’s music has been performed several places in Europe, especially in Nordic countries, but in USA and Canada as well.

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