Joonatan Jürgenson

b. October 24, 1991
Member of the Association of Estonian Professional Musicians
Member of the Estonian Piano Teachers Association

Joonatan Jürgenson graduated cum laude with a master’s degree in piano from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in 2016 under Prof. Ivari Ilja. In 2014 Jürgenson was an exchange student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he studied with Prof. Ronan O’Hora.

Jürgenson made his national debut at the Estonia Concert Hall in 2004 at the age of 12, performing Haydn with Pärnu City Orchestra under the baton of Toomas Vavilov after receiving the 1st prize as well as special prizes for eminent style and for the interpretation of Bach at the International Competition for Pianists, Violinists and Cellists „Young Musician“ in Tallinn, Estonia. As a young pianist Joonatan Jürgenson often excelled in national and international piano competitions as well as international music festivals taking place in Estonia, including International Festival Piano and others. In 2013 he received the 2nd prize and a special prize for the best interpretation of a modern Basque composer’s piece at the International Piano Competition in San Sebastian, Spain.

Joonatan Jürgenson has participated in many masterclasses taught by Evgeni Mikhailov, Fali Pavri, Vanessa Latarche, Arbo Valdma, Aaron Shorr, Teppo Koivisto and others. Joonatan Jürgenson also gives masterclasses to young Estonian pianists.

Joonatan Jürgenson has collaborated with the Symphony Orchestra of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, orchestra of the Heino Eller Tartu Music College, Pärnu City Orchestra, Terre del Nord Festival Orchestra and Läänesaarte Kammerorkester (Estonian Western Islands Chamber Orchestra) with conductors Paul Mägi, Lilyan Kaiv, Toomas Vavilov, and Edoardo Narbona. Jürgenson has performed in UK, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Armenia as well as in New York, USA. He has also collaborated with the Grammy award-winning composer Eric Whitacre in connection with the concert the composer gave in Estonia in 2013.

In addition to solo performances Joonatan Jürgenson is also an active chamber musician, working with various singers and ensembles. In 2016 his trio with violinist Mari-Liis Urb and cellist Kristian Plink received the Grand Prix at the VIII International Music Festival in Gyumri, Armenia. The trio has also performed at the Harmos festival in Porto, Portugal and has given concerts in Warsaw, Poland and in the cities of Roma and Nepi in Italy.

Jürgenson has  received Ago Russak’s scholarship (2010) for outstanding musical achievements as a young music student while studying at Heino Eller Tartu Music College with Kadri Leivategija.

In March 2020, Joonatan Jürgenson released his debut solo album with Robert Schumann’s Fantasy Pieces Op. 12 and Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite Op. 71a.

Joonatan Jürgenson webpage


© EMIC 2020

The texts on the EMIC's homepage are protected by the copyright law. They can be used for non-commercial purposes referring to the author (when specified) and source (Estonian Music Information Centre).