Ulla Krigul

b. July 22, 1979, Tallinn
Member of the Estonian Association of Professional Musicians and Estonian Organ Society

Ulla Krigul is one of the most recognised organists of the younger generation in Estonia. She is highly valued as a soloist and an ensemble partner. Her repertoire comprises a wide range of music from Baroque to contemporary music.

Ulla Krigul graduated from Tallinn Music High School in 1997 as a pianist and continued her studies at the Estonian Academy of Music in the piano class of Ivari Ilja in 1997-1999. In 2000, she began playing the organ at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre under the guidance of Professor Andres Uibo and received her master’s degree in 2006.

In 2004-2006, Krigul studied as an exchange student in Vienna at Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst with Professor Martin Haselböck. She has also developed her skills in master classes and participated in different competitions: the Con Brio national contest festival for young interpreters (2002), international organists’ competition in Gdańsk (2003) and the Mikael Tariverdiev Competition in Kaliningrad (2005).

In 2004-2006, Ulla Krigul worked as the organist of Sacré Coeur Church in Vienna At present, she is the organist of Tallinn’s Finnish St Peter’s Congregation and also works as a concertmaster at the Georg Ots Music School.

Every year, Ulla Krigul presents at least one or two new solo programmes. Besides Bach, Buxtehude, Bruhns, Muffat, and Hindemith, contemporary music holds an important place in her repertoire: she has been the premier performer of several works by Estonian contemporary composers including Galina Grigorjeva, Tõnu Kõrvits, Ülo Krigul, Märt-Matis Lill, Timo Steiner, and others.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Ulla Krigul has performed in all the main Estonian churches and has given concerts as part of many festivals and concert series, including Tallinn International Organ Festival, Tallinn Bach Music Festival bachFest, International Contemporary Music Festival Afekt and Leigo Lake Music Festival. She has also performed in Finland, Sweden, Austria, Latvia, Russia, and Ukraine.

Krigul has collaborated with legendary Estonian coloratura soprano Margarita Voites, sopranos Kädy Plaas and Arete Kerge, mezzo-soprano Iris Oja, baritone Tõnis Kaumann, bass Ain Anger, pianist Istvan Matyas, trumpetist Indrek Vau, saxophonist Virgo Veldi, oboist Riivo Kallasmaa, violinist Mari-Liis Uibo, cellist Leho Karin and YXUS ensemble .

Ulla also likes to perform with harmonium and to expand traditional organ repertoire by making new arrangements or combining the organ with live and recorded electronics. Together with her husband, composer Ülo Krigul, she quite often renders organ and gong meditations

In 2007, Ulla Krigul and violinist Mari-Liis Uibo released the album Bernsteinstraße (Musica Delicata) with music by Estonian composers Arvo Pärt, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Ülo Krigul, Ester Mägi, Andres Uibo, and Artur Kapp and Latvian composer Imants Zemzaris.

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