Tallinn Boys' Choir

The Tallinn Boys' Choir was founded in 1988 by Lydia Rahula, who has been the principal conductor and the artistic director of the choir till today. The choir has its own studio with a membership of 110 boys. The concert choir is a classic mixed choir (SATB), where are 35 to 60 singers (boys aged 10–15 and young men aged 16–35). Next to the concert choir there are two preparatory choirs – Primo (boys aged 6 to 7) and Secundo (boys aged 8 to 9).

The Tallinn Boys' Choir has participated in many international choir competitions, where they have won several awards. In 1992, they won 2nd place in mixed choir category and special prize for the best performance of Franz Schubert's song in International Franz Schubert Choir Competition in Vienna. In 1993, they were awarded with the GRAND PRIX, 3 gold pendant diploma and Best Conductor reward in Tampere Vocal Music Festival. In 2004, they won GRAND PRIX and 1st place in mixed choir category in VIII International Children's and Youth Choir Festival Moscow Sounds in Moscow and in 2009, Gold medal in mixed choir category (conductor Lydia Rahula) and Gold medal in male choir category (conductor Tomi Rahula) in Olomouc VII International Choir Festival Musica Religiosa in Czech Republic.

The repertoire of the Tallinn Boys' Choir includes music from Gregorian chant to large-scale works, Estonian composers vocal pieces (Veljo Tormis, Cyrillus Kreek, Urmas Sisask, Gennadi Taniel, Rein Rannap et al) to Afro-American spirituals. The choir has performed several major musical works with Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, such as Oratorio Jonah's Mission by Rudolf Tobias, conducted by Neeme Järvi. In addition, the choir has participated in Birgitta Festival under the baton of Anu Tali and Eri Klas, and in Nürnberg Festival under Leo Krämer and Arvo Volmer. The choir boys have also participated in operas of Estonian National Opera.

The Tallinn Boys' Choir has also collaborated with such conductors like Paavo Järvi, Andres Mustonen, Nikolai Aleksejev, Robert Sund, James Litton, Carl Hogset, Jorma Panula, Bobby McFerrin et al. The choir has performed with many well-known Estonian musicians: Andres Uibo (organ), Jüri Leiten (trumpet), Villu Veski and Virgo Veldi (saxophone), Mart Siimer (composer-pianist), Annely Peebo (mezzo-soprano) and also with internationally known musicians like tenor-saxophonist John Nuget and choirs – Vienna Boys' Choir, American Boys' Choir and others. Diversity of the choir's repertoire is shown also with appearances with numerous famous Estonian pop-artists (Tanel Padar & The Sun, Dave Benton, Siiri Sisask, Tõnis Mägi, Ivo Linna, Janika Sillamaa, Maarja-Liis Ilus, Birgit Õigemeel, Koit Toome et al) and performing in Estonian jazz music festival Jazzkaar.

The Tallinn Boys' Choir has performed in all over Estonia and in Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Hungary, Czech, Netherlands, France, Germany, Portugal, USA, Canada, Russia, Thailand and Japan. The Tallinn Boys' Choir has been recorded in radio stations in Estonia, Japan, Netherlands and Germany, and television in Estonian, USA and Japan Television. Until now, The Tallinn Boys' Choir has released 3 CD-s and 5 MC-s.

More info: Tallinn Boys' Choir

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