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The elections to the Student Council of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre will take place 5–17 May.

You can get to know the candidates and vote HERE.

Now it’s your turn to decide:

• who represents the students?
• whose ideas will be implemented?

Why vote?

• you help decide, who stands for the interests of students;
• you support ideas and changes that matter to you;
• you help shape a better student experience at EAMT;
• an Apollo gift card will be raffled among voters.

Additional information: yesindus@eamt.ee

The HarMA Training Week, designed for staff from partner institutions of the HarMA HUB project, was held from 21 to 25 April 2026 at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Tallinn. The primary objective of the week was to provide music theory lecturers from partner institutions with a platform to introduce and exchange innovative pedagogical methods and practices, thereby enhancing the quality of music theory instruction in higher music education institutions across Europe.

Throughout the five-day programme, leading experts in the field presented cutting-edge approaches to music theory pedagogy. Each lecture was complemented by seminars, enabling participants to practically apply the knowledge and techniques discussed.

Peeter Margus defens his doctoral thesis on 9 June at 11:30 room D-511 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Music):

“Interpretation of Folk Music in Classical Music From the Viewpoint of a Violinist Based on the Works by Eduard Tubin and George Enescu”

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Kristel Pappel; Senior Researcher Žanna Pärtlas, PhD

Opponent: Mart Jaanson, PhD

The doctoral thesis is available HERE and in print in the EAMT library.

Fragment from the Summary:

This thesis is part of the artistic research project concerned with the performer’s approach to folk music composed into art music. In addition to the written thesis, the research project entails four recitals, in each of which a classical piece containing folk music is placed into different musical contexts. This research investigates from the perspective of a classical violinist how to develop interpretational strategies for performing such classical music compositions into which the composer has incorporated folk music. Two pieces for violin and piano were chosen for the purpose of this research that cover a wide array of possibilities how folk music may be used in classical music by the composer and therefore interpreted by the performer.
“Suite on Estonian Dance Tunes” ETW 53 (1943/1974) by the Estonian composer Eduard Tubin employs 11 Estonian folk tunes as the basis of its musical material. The folk tunes are composed into the violin part of the suite as direct quotes, having minute alterations made to them, such as adding double stops or changing a few notes or rhythms. Sonata for violin and piano No. 3 Op. 25 by the Romanian Georges Enescu is similarly inspired by the folk music of the composer’s homeland however the folkloristic material of the piece is entirely Enescu’s original creation.

Valle-Rasmus Roots defens his doctoral thesis on 2 June at 15:00 room A-402 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Music):

„Choosing a Conducting Pattern Amid a Plurality of Possible Patterns“

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Toomas Siitan

Oponent: Tarmo Johannes, PhD (Music)

The doctoral thesis is available HERE and in print in the EAMT library.

Fragment form the Summary:

This thesis constitutes the written component of a practice-based doctoral project investigating the choice of conducting patterns in orchestral conducting. The study focuses primarily on works that can be conducted using more than one viable pattern, especially where different interpretative priorities support different choices. The study also addresses situations in which the plurality of possible conducting patterns does not arise from conflicting artistic values alone, but from other factors such as the presence of a soloist or alternating and irregular time signatures.
The central research question is: how should a conductor choose a conducting pattern when several patterns are both possible and musically justified?
In the second chapter of my doctoral thesis, I provided an overview of the history of the conducting profession and technique, as well as some of the most important theoretical positions on conducting. I then compiled a register of the conductor’s tasks and, drawing on both my own artistic experience and the conducting literature, identified four typical situations in which a conductor must choose between several possible conducting patterns. The aim of the analytical part of the thesis was to develop strategies for choosing a conducting pattern in these situations.
Because the selection of a conducting pattern under conditions of multiple viable options has not been systematically addressed in the conducting literature, the study draws more broadly on writings on conducting technique. An important part of the theoretical background of this work was formed by Raymond Holden’s article “The Technique of Conducting,” Elizabeth A. H. Green’s book “The Modern Conductor,” and Ilja Musin’s monograph “The Language of Conducting Gestures.” Alan J. Gumm’s article “Six Functions of Conducting” was a great help in mapping the conductor’s tasks.
The primary source materials included my reflective diary, the scores of the analysed works, and video recordings available on YouTube. The methodology combines self-reflexive analysis, case study, comparative video analysis, and structured as well as semi-structured interviews. Particularly important were the video analyses, which made it possible to compare the conducting decisions of established conductors, and the interviews with orchestral musicians who had performed under my direction.

Marcelo Chacur Politano defens his doctoral thesis on 2 June at 11.30 room A-402 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Music):

„Composing and Analysing with Idiomatic and Idiosyncratic Resources in a Hybrid Intercultural Musical Environment“

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Kerri Kotta

Oponent: Dr. Wei-Ya Lin (University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna)

The doctoral thesis is available HERE and in print in the EAMT library.

Abstract:

This artistic research focuses on the interaction of folk and classical music practices within a framework of personal experiences and aims to develop a personal approach towards intercultural music composition and analysis. The research is situated in the main field of music composition with emphasis on creative processes developed within an intercultural creative environment. The main research question of this thesis revolves around how the concepts of idiomatic and idiosyncratic resources as an analytical tool help to comprehend and better organize the liminal framework of a particular intercultural music composition. The primary objective is to identify strategies for composing and analysing music derived from collaborative practices among composer, folk and classical music performers in an intercultural creative environment. Through this exploration, the research aims to shed light on the intricate dynamics of intercultural musical creation and collaboration.

The study explores intercultural instrumentation and performative practices drawn from Estonia, Finland and Brazil. The research focuses on four case study pieces composed as part of the investigation, utilizing folk music instruments such as the berimbau, viola caipira and pífano/quena flutes from Brazil and South America; the kannel from Estonia; as well as the pitkähuilu (pikkvile) from both Estonia and Finland and finally the kantele from Finland.

The main theoretical framework is based on the ideas of liminality, musical hybridism, interculturalism, as well as the concept of idiomatic and idiosyncratic resources. Liminality serves as a pivotal concept in this study, acting as a threshold between folk music practices and classical music practices in the contemporary music art’s context, as well as between the different folk practices themselves. Within this context, musical hybridism and cultural interaction happens within the ethical framework of interculturalism. The concept of idiomatic and idiosyncratic resources is used as an analytical tool for the four study cases. The concept encompasses ‘mechanical idiomatic resources’ related to instrument characteristics, ‘cultural idiomatic resources’ related to musical and cultural traditions, and ‘knowledge base’ and ‘referent’ related to the musicians collaborating in the compositional processes.

The student council is the main opportunity for students to really direct what happens at the university, but this time the elections did not go quite as planned. Due to technical glitches and lower than expected voter turnout, we have decided to open an additional round of candidacies to ensure the legitimacy and inclusion of the council.

Now is your chance to join, please submit your candidacy.

Important information:

The new candidacy period is April 23 to May 3.

Anyone who has already submitted their candidacy does not need to do so again. Your applications are still in the system and valid.

We look forward to seeing you! You can submit your candidacy HERE

Consultations (in Estonian and English) for applicants for doctoral studies in music and dramatic art with regard to the preparation of research projects will be held on:

7 April
12:30–14:00 A-202 at EAMT

14 April
18:00–19:00 Zoom

21 April
12:30-14.00 A–202 at EAMT

We ask participants to register no later than 17:00 the day before the consultation by calling 6675 709 or by e-mail at: margit.vosa@eamt.ee.

Admission to the doctoral studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre is open until 8 May.

Discussion panel: “From Conservatory to Career: Bridging the Gap Between Training and the Professional Stage”

Mon, 13.04.2026 kell 10.00–11.15, EAMT Chamber Hall

Panelists:

• Margaret Yang (CEO, Hong Kong Sinfonietta)
• Henry-David Varema (Vice Rector for Artistic Affairs and International Relations, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre)
• Stefan Schmerbeck (Managing Director, Stefan Schmerbeck Artists Management, Munich)

Moderator Zenaida des Aubris (Opera Career Coach, Artist Manager)

Free entrance!

Music conservatories and schools continue to produce extraordinary young talent – yet the transition from conservatory to professional career remains one of the field’s greatest challenges. Even the most gifted singers and instrumentalists often graduate without the practical tools or network required to navigate today’s highly competitive and rapidly changing marketplace.

This panel will examine how young musicians can best prepare for entry into the profession, and how the industry can support them more effectively.

Key questions include:

• What are presenters and managements really looking for in emerging artists today?
• How can conservatories integrate career preparation into their curricula without compromising artistic focus?
• What models of collaboration between agents, institutions, and educators have proven successful?
• How do we define and encourage sustainable careers beyond the narrow “star” narrative?

Combining real-world case studies, industry insight, and open discussion, the session aims to build bridges between the educational and professional spheres – offering practical solutions for a more connected and sustainable talent pipeline.

The panel discussion is organised in cooperation with PLMF Arts Management, the Estonian lead organiser of the IAMA (International Artist Managers’ Association) conference.

More information: https://www.iamaworld.com/

For the thirteenth time, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT) will hold its 3rd year doctoral student conference (in English) in March.

On 17 March, starting at 11:00 a.m., our doctoral students and junior researchers Momir Novakovic, Svetlana Grigorjeva, Otto Herman Iivari, and Tatjana Kozlova-Johannes will give presentations in the EMTA auditorium A402. The doctoral program at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki will be represented by Aizhan Sultanova, Robert Fleitz, and Tanja Nisonen. Tina Gelnere and Oskars Bokanovs from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music will also be in attendance. The conference will begin with a presentation of EAMT alumna Vittoria Ecclesia’s doctoral thesis “Practice Beyond Boundaries: Enhancing Musicianship through Historical Clarinet Affordances,” published in the series “Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Studies on Artistic Research.” At the end of the conference, a summary of the day will be presented by Diāna Zandberga, pianist and Vice-Rector for Research and Creative Work at the Latvian Academy of Music.

The program can be found HERE.