Taavo Virkhaus

June 29, 1934 Tartu – February 10, 2021 Huntsville, Alabama, USA

Conductor and composer Taavo Virkhaus was long-time music director of the University of Rochester, conductor of the Duluth and Huntsville symphony orchestras, active figure in music life of expatriate Estonia and introducer of Estonian music to the world.

Taavo Virkhaus started school at the Elementary School of Tartu Teachers’ Seminary. In 1944, he fled with his family to Germany, from where they emigrated to USA in 1949.

In 1955, he graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in violin performance, and in 1957 with a master's degree in composition from the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, where he also defended his doctorate in 1967.

Taavo Virkhaus studied conducting at the Tanglewood summer courses in the master classes of Seymour Lipkin (1958) and Pierre Monteux (1960, 1961), studied at the Cologne Higher Music School with prof. Wolfgang von der Nahmer's class (1963–1964) and served an internship with Richard Lert in Orkney Springs (1969–1971). His First Violin Concerto was awarded the Howard Hanson Prize (1966).

From 1955 to 1956, he worked as a music teacher at West Miami Junior High School, and made his debut in conducting with the Miami Ballet Guild Orchestra in 1956. From 1957 to 1961 he conducted the Estonian Mixed Choir in Buffalo. He was Director of Music at the University of Rochester (1966–1977) and Director of the Conducting Department at the Eastman School of Music and the Rochester Opera House. From 1977 to 1994 he was music director and conductor of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra in Minnesota and of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra in Alabama from 1989 to 2003 (conductor emeritus since 2003). As a guest conductor, he conducted mainly US orchestras and concerts and opera performances in Canada, Europe and Russia.

In 1969, Taavo Virkhaus participated with the University of Rochester Symphony Orchestra in the concerts of the Estonian Jubilee Song Festival and the Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia in Toronto. He was the music director of the Global Estonian Cultural Days 1976 in Baltimore, and conducted orchestras and choirs at the West Coast Estonian Days.

Virkhaus’ repertoire included works from European classics, American contemporary music and Estonian music, including the opuses of Eduard Tubin (Symphonies IV, IX and X), Rudolf Tobias, Arvo Pärt and Eino Tamberg. He has performed with such well-known soloists as Van Cliburn, Emanuel Ax, Itzhak Perlman, Rudolf Firkusny and Kathleen Battle, often with his wife Nancy Virkhaus (soprano), who has also performed Estonian music in her programs.

He gave lactures to Estonian youth in Canada (1978 at Kotkajärve Forest University, 1981 at Jõekääru Estonian Culture Days, etc.). He has published articles in the press, eg "Crisis in American Music Life" ("Kriis Ameerika muusikaelus", Mana No. 38, 1971) and "The Beginning of Estonian Musical Theatre" ("Eesti muusikateatri alguspäevad", Vana Eestlane, September 8 and 13, 1983).

Taavo Virkhaus has mainly composed instrumental music: six symphonies, two violin concertos, overtures, string quartet, etc.

In 2009, Tartu City Government recognized him with the medal to honor his activities for carrying on Estonian music life in abroad and for participating in Estonian and Tartu Song Festivals.