On the 7th of August 2005, Maestro Veljo Tormis, the innovator of Estonian choral music turned 75. Using modern composition techniques, Tormis has given new breath to ancient Estonian runo song. Initiated from the poetical texts, his music always carries clear ethical message.
The composer’s birthday concert took place at Viinistu Concert Hall on the 7th of August where Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir performed the music of Tormis under the guidance of Tõnu Kaljuste. In the end of July and in the beginning of August Von Krahl Theatre gave nine performances of Tormis’ “Estonian ballades” at the Soorinna hay shed. The cantata-ballet “Estonian ballades” is the co-production of director Peeter Jalakas and conductor Tõnu Kaljuste, premiered in 2004. The production was awarded the Annual Award of Estonian Theatre 2004 in the category of music performance and Peeter Jalakas was awarded the Estonian Cultural Prize and Annual Theatre Award 2004.
See: http://www.vonkrahl.ee/en/arhiiv/estonianball.html
On the 13th of August, the concert programme “Cannot Live Without Happiness” took place at Pärnu Concert Hall, where Tormis’ music was performed by Estonian National Male Choir, Mixed Choir of Estonia Society, Girls’ Choir of Estonian TV, Pärnu Chamber Choir, Tallinn Chamber Choir, Academic Female Choir and Chamber Choir of Tartu University, Pärnu City Orchestra and soloists. Estonian Radio, channel of classical music, broadcasted the concert.
Estonian Television presented the film “The Tormis Circle” (ETV 2003, commissioned by ARTE) and the TV production of cycle “The forgotten nations” for mixed choir commented by the composer (ETV 1999). From the 8th to 28th of September the exhibition “Spectacular Tormis”, presenting the music scores, publications, programme notes, pictures, video and audio productions of Tormis’ music, is opened in the rooms of Estonian National Library.
On the life and music of Tormis there are published two books in Estonian: “The Sung Word” collected by composer himself and Prof. Urve Lippus (Tartu University Publishing, 2000) and “Veljo Tormis – A Wayward Composer ” compiled by Priit Kuusk (Prisma Print Publishing, 2000). In 2004, the acknowledged American choral conductor and musicologist, Prof. Mimi S. Daitz published a book “Ancient Song Recovered: The Life and Music of Veljo Tormis” (Pendragon, 2004, in English).