Category: Uncategorized

The concert and theatre hall of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and the ticket sales platform Fienta have jointly developed a new ticket validation system. The goal of the project was to create a self-service solution that speeds up the entrance to the venue and reduces physical contact between individuals. At the same time, the work processes of the concert and theatre hall were reviewed and improved. The new system will be tested at the EMTA concert and theater hall in December 2021.

“While cinemas have been using self-service to check-in attendees for some time now, this is the first time such a solution is used by a concert and theatre hall,” says Ilja Goor, the Administrative Head of EAMT Halls. “We are glad that Fienta took our idea and developed a solution in which many other event organizers are already interested.”

Attendees display their ticket and medical certificate QR codes to a tablet computer as a printout or from a mobile phone. The validity of the concert or theatre ticket is checked by the system and the ticket will be marked as used. The health certificate and the identity document are double-checked by a hall attendant.

“Fienta is pleased that the Academy of Music and Theatre is so open to innovation. Self-service at the EAMT Concert and Theatre Hall makes the process of checking tickets and health certificates faster for the audience and also helps to reduce physical contacts. The solution will be available for other event organizers in early 2022,″ comments René Lasseron, CEO of Fienta.

Last night, the second concert of the final round of the IV Tallinn International Piano Competition took place in the great hall of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, after which the jury determined the results of the competition. The first prize went to David Munk-Nielsen, the second prize went to Théotime Gillot from France, and the third prize went to Japanese pianist Misora Ozaki.

Estonian pianist Tähe-Lee Liiv, Genki Takai from Japan and Jiyoung Kim from the Republic of Korea were awarded the finalist diplomas. Out of 31 participants, 6 pianists made it through two demanding rounds to the finals, where they performed piano concertos with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arvo Volmer.

The chairman of the jury, Eteri Andjaparize (USA / Georgia), was pleased that the competition could take place with all participants in one room without video performances. She also praised the strong level of the performers and the smooth work of the jury. “The discussions were so reasonable and smooth that they were almost dull,” Andjaparidze mused.

Igor Cognolato, a jury member from Italy, highlighted the professionalism of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Volmer: “Participants had the opportunity to choose from such a large number of excellent and complex piano concertos. This means that the orchestra and the conductor would also be ready to play them all, and this is undoubtedly unusual.”

The first three prizes in the competition and the finalists won monetary prizes: € 10,000, € 7,000 and € 4,000. €1,500 accompanied the diplomas. Pianists were also awarded numerous special prizes. Among them, the award for the best performance of Estonian music went to Shinyoung Lee from the Republic of Korea for her outstanding performance of composer Heino Eller’s music. The members of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO) chose Misora Ozaki as their favorite stage partner who is invited to perform with the orchestra in the future.

Evita Lohu received the prize of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in the form of an educational or a concert trip. ERSO and EAMT also presented a prize together – in February, EAMT student Hyewon Chung will perform as a soloist in front of the traditional joint project of both orchestras.

Mantas Šernius, a doctoral student of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, received the creative scholarship of the Association of Estonian Professional Musicians. Tähe-Lee Liiv was awarded a performance in the Palace Music Concert Series as well as the “Hope for the Future” award for a promising pianist offered by the Estonian Piano Teachers’ Association.

The concert agency Eesti Kontsert chose pianist Jiyoung Kim for a solo recital in the Estonia Concert Hall. Théotime Gillot will perform at a concert at the House of the Blackheads as part of the Tallinn Philharmonic Society Award.

David Munk-Nielsen was born in Copenhagen and started playing the piano at the age of five. He is currently studying at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Professor Erik T. Tawaststjerna.

The jury consisted of pianists and pedagogues, including Eteri Andjaparidze (chairwoman, Georgia / USA), Igor Cognolato (Italy), Juris Kalnciems (Latvia), Antti Siirala (Finland) and Ivari Ilja (Estonia). 

The competition took place from November 25 until December 3. It was hosted by the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and the Estonian Pianists’ Association.

More information: tipc.eamt.ee

On 1 December, the admission opened for MA in Contemporary Performance and Composition (CoPeCo). The application deadline is 31 January, 2022.

CoPeCo is a two-year joint master’s programme in contemporary performance and composition, offering the students an open platform for experimental artistic practice within a European setting.

The programme aims to create a dynamic environment that supports and promotes contemporary musical expression in all aspects, including creation, production, performance and the relationship between musicians and society. The programme achieves this by establishing a joint platform, where composers and performers can begin new artistic collaborations, interact with artists from other disciplines, work with live electronics and develop their improvisational skills.

The consortium includes the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, the Conservatoire National Supérieur Musique et Danse in Lyon and the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre.

CoPeCo programme co-director is Taavi Kerikmäe, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music.

More info: copeco.net

Anneli Tohver will defend her doctoral thesis on 20 December at 11.00 in room C-405 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Music):

Pianisti koostöö balletiartistidega: koreograafiat toetava muusikalise interpretatsiooni otsinguil
(The pianist’s collaboration with ballet artistes: exploring musical interpretation which supports choreography)

Supervisor: Professor Kristel Pappel, PhD (EAMT)

Opponent: Mihhail Gerts, PhD (Tallinn/Berlin)

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

In my doctoral thesis “The pianist’s collaboration with ballet artistes: exploring musical interpretation which supports choreography”, I looked at how pianists and ballet artistes work together, and my main research questions were: how to create an interpretation which supports choreography and what kind of musical means of expression are significant in this process. The third research topic – which became the central focus and the most substantial part of my written work and creative projects – was: how to put the experiences gained in the ballet theatre into practice in smaller ensembles like a chamber ensemble with ballet artistes.

In vocal and instrumental music, the pianist playing in the ensemble has one or several solo parts, the ballet pianist, on the other hand, supports choreographic movement. This requires expertise in the performance traditions of ballet music as well as the specificity of dance movements. I looked for ensemble elements – akin to those existing in musical ensembles – in the collaboration of the ballet artiste and the ballet pianist. With every kind of ensemble, it is desirable that the pianist understands the activity of his/her ensemble partner, being supportive in an accompanying function and, if necessary, an expressive partner in the solo material of a piano part.

There is not much research in Estonia on the subject of the ballet pianist, nor are there any handbooks available in the Estonian language. Whereas from the dancer’s point of view the field is continuously developing, the same cannot be said from the perspective of the pianist. This work is part of the doctoral creative-research project, which aimed to develop this field academically and pedagogically.

Today, 31 young pianists from all over the world drew their order of performance, thus kicking off the IV Tallinn International Piano Competition. The competition will take place in three rounds at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and the winner will be announced on December 3.

Despite the debilitating effects the pandemic had on competition culture, 31 pianists from 12 countries have found their way to Tallinn. The competition is organised fully live, neglecting the now understandably popular digital format. In addition to piano players from neighboring countries, those from further afield come from Spain, France, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and China.

“Taking part and testing your limits in a classical music competition is certainly not an undertaking one does out of a whim,” says renowned pianist Mihkel Poll, the winner of the very first Tallinn International Piano Competition and one the head organisers now. “So we are all the happier that pianists from so many different places are gathering in Tallinn. Though the Tallinn international piano competition is still young, we want to continue to grow into a musical event that young pianists are looking forward to for many years to come,” he adds.

The demanding program gives the performers the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in various styles and techniques. The finalists will perform with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arvo Volmer.

A total of almost 36 hours of live music will be heard by an international jury of acclaimed pianists, including Eteri Andjaparidze (chairwoman, Georgia / USA), Ivari Ilja (Estonia), Juris Kalnciems (Latvia), Antti Siirala (Finland) and Igor Cognolato (Italy).

More information about the competition programme and repertoire can be found on the website at tipc.eamt.ee or on Facebook: @tallinninternationalpianocompetition.

Mihkel Poll (2006), Kristi Kapten (2011) and Anna Szałucka (2016) have previously won the Tallinn International Piano Competition. The organizers of the competition are the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and the Association of Estonian Pianists.

Live streams: https://bit.ly/3DLlJTW

Kirke Karja will defend her doctoral thesis on 20 December at 11.00 in room C-405 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Music):

Protsessimuusika elementidest jazzmuusika kompositsioonis ja improvisatsioonis
(Process Music Elements in Jazz Composition and Improvisation)

Supervisor: professor Kerri Kotta, PhD (EAMT)

Opponent: Mihhail Gerts, PhD (Tallinn/Berlin)

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

This thesis explores how contemporary jazz music composition and improvisation participate in musical communication. More specifically, I observe structures that we can find in process music (music emerging from a process or multiple processes). To explore this topic, I used concepts developed by Fred Lerdahl: compositional grammar and listening grammar. Compositional grammar is what a composer intended while writing the piece. Listening grammar is what a listener hears and understands from the compositional grammar, interpreted subjectively by listeners to the degree allowed by their comprehension.

As a researcher, I am most interested in situations in which compositional grammar changes without affecting listening grammar, i.e. when composed and improvised parts of a musical piece appear in ways that extend beyond the listener’s ability to grasp musical structure.

I differentiate between composition and improvisation. In my work, the main difference between composition and improvisation is that when composing, I have the opportunity to work on and revise every musical detail as long as I need to until I am satisfied. When I am improvising, musical decisions take place in real time and there is no opportunity to edit afterwards.

In my compositions, I employ techniques borrowed from process music. Process music has a structure in which musical motifs and elements transform step-by-step, making sound events predictable. Processes are mainly found in rhythms and pitches, with most known techniques being additive and subtractive, phase, and polyphony of processes – where different processes happen simultaneously yet independently of one another.

My main research questions are derived from the logical connection of processes in composition and improvisation. These are:
1) How does one change compositional grammar in such a way that listening grammar will not change? In other words: if the listener has understood the „rules” within a piece of improvised music which contains certain processes, how can an improviser change those rules in such a way that the listener does not comprehend the change?
2) Is it possible to create different, even contrasting, musical ideas without losing elements of process music, and how? In other words: how does one avoid situations in which a musical piece becomes a monotonous musical fabric? Is it possible to guarantee that a musical piece will still contain surprises, tension, conflict, and solutions?

In order to answer these questions, it was necessary to find, create, and utilize tools to assist me.
[– – –]

During my research, I found that I want to use process techniques in my creative work in the future because:
1) There is an infinite number of opportunities and ways to use them.
2) If I use them polyphonically, it helps me create fascinating layers.
3) Since the process music is „writing itself”, addiction to inspiration is subsequently avoidable.

I also discovered that a greater understanding of compositional grammar and listening grammar inspires me to manipulate listeners’ perceptions. It lends itself – and leads me – to search for musical and situational opportunities which purposely confuse listeners. I found new meaning in music: instead of „performing” it (a result-orientated activity and a narrow-minded way of thinking about it), I now think of music as a „game”. Such an understanding allows it to exist as an engaging basis and medium for interaction between both creators and listeners as co-participants.

The aim of these sessions is to offer prospective MA in Contemporary Physical Performance Making (CPPM) students an opportunity to meet the course teaching team and ask questions about the application and audition process, and find out specific information about the course. Former CPPM students will be present, so it is possible to enquire about their experience on the course.

All prospective applicants can choose from the following options:

1 December 2021
10:00 (GMT +2)
20:00 (GMT +2)

10 January 2022
10:00 (GMT +2)
20:00 (GMT +2)

20 February 2022
16:00 (GMT +2)

Each session will last around 90 minutes.

Please register for one of these sessions using this link

Closer to your selected session you will be emailed a Zoom link to join.

If you have any questions prior to these sessions, feel free to contact us via email info_cppm@eamt.ee

The course application deadline is 1 March 2022.

On November 1, the admission opened for MA in Contemporary Physical Performance Making (CPPM) at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. The applications process remains open until January 31, 2022. Auditions will take place from March 7 to April 17 in various cities worldwide: Tallinn, Berlin, Milan, London, Seoul and Melbourne. You can find out more about the admission criteria and process here.

CPPM was founded under the belief that the most intense artistic growth occurs through genuine encounters with inspirational artists. That is why most studies are conducted by internationally renowned directors, choreographers, performers, and companies from all over the world. The confirmed guest artists for 2022-24 include Anne Bogart (USA), Olivier de Sagazan (France), Juan Dominguez (Spain), Kim Collier (Canada), Theodoros Terzoupoulos (Greece), Guillaume Pige (England), Stacy Makishi (Hawaii, USA), Tadashi Endo (Japan), Fran Barbe (Australia), etc. You can see the complete list of guest artists here.

“CPPM is a ground-breaking course that takes postgraduate education out of the classroom and puts practical experience with world-leading makers of performance at the heart of the learning process. Students will work alongside some of the most exciting directors, choreographers, performance makers, artists and companies across the world to further their artistic practice through active collaboration, devising and performance,” said CPPM course leader professor Jüri Nael.

CPPM offers a generous scholarship scheme allowing eight accepted students to get a discount on their tuition fees. You can read more about the tuition fees and scholarship scheme here.

In 2021, the first cohort of CPPM students graduated: 12 students from 8 countries. Their final projects gave birth to the international performing arts festival CPPM Manifestal, which took place from May to June 2021 and included more than 70 performances in different locations across Tallinn.

The deadline for applying for CPPM is January 31, 2022

Dear Members of the Academy,

On 19 October, the Government of the Republic of Estonia introduced new COVID-19 crisis measures, which were extended on 28 October. The main purpose of which is to prevent overcrowding in hospitals, the collapse of the medical system and to curb the epidemic spread of the coronavirus more effectively than before.

As the deterioration of the pandemic is also a serious threat to the study activities and planned events of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, then we must all work together by tolerating the inconveniences of tightening internal regulations, in order to ensure the health of our students and staff and the continuation of our learning, research, and creative activities.

There have been cases of infection among both the staff and students of the academy since the beginning of this academic year, however, there hasn’t been a major COVID outbreak emerging so far. Nevertheless, considering the current general situation in Estonia, the risk of their occurrence is in a dangerous growth trend, and therefore the following rules and guidelines have been established at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre as of 29 October, 2021:

• The rector’s office calls on all students and staff who have not yet been vaccinated against coronavirus to do so as soon as possible. Different vaccines are freely available to everyone.
• Wearing a protective facemask in the study buildings of the Academy is mandatory for everyone. The protective facemask must be worn in all activities where this is possible due to the nature of the activity. It is recommended to wear a medical mask or equivalent.
• Only students and employees of the Academy are allowed to enter the study buildings of the EAMT. The main door of the building opens with a personalized magnetic card. We ask all members of the Academy to make sure that no person from outside the Academy enters the study building with you at the front door. Guests of the Academy, students of pedagogical practice, continuing education students and other persons may enter the study buildings only based on a registered permit issued by a member of the rector’s office (or the chief coordinator in case of the Drama Department). All guests must prove that they have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID in the last 6 months. A negative test result does not entitle you to enter the building.
• Verification of COVID certificates will also be enhanced at public concerts, performances and other events held at the Academy. According to the decision of the Government of the Republic of Estonia, a negative test result is no longer valid as COVID proof (except for children aged 12-17). The COVID certificate will be checked at the door of the hall.
• The feasibility of organizing events with a large number of participants should be very critically assessed in the coming months. Whenever possible, events should be postponed or organized online.
• As unvaccinated travellers from Estonia are subject to the quarantine requirement in many countries, EAMT approves work related travels only for the employees and students who have been vaccinated or have recovered from coronavirus in the last 6 months.
  
• No significant changes in the organization of studies are currently planned. As a rule, studies will take place in the form of contact studies at the academy on-site. In coordination with the head of the speciality group, the study activities may also be carried out in the form of distance learning, if the learning outcomes do not suffer due to that.
• There are no specific limits for the number of students in one classroom, but where possible, the principle of social distancing should be followed, and in the case of bigger study groups, larger study rooms should be preferred.
• The lecturer must ensure that all participants in the classroom must be registered by name (for example, ask students to register their name on the registration sheet, mark those students who are absent from the class, etc.). This allows us to better identify those who have been in close contact with an infected person(s).
• It is strictly prohibited to come to the academy in the event of even the slightest suspicion of being infected with the virus. This requirement applies to both vaccinated and non-vaccinated employees and students. If symptoms of infection occur, please contact your family doctor and let yourself be tested. If the test comes back positive, then you need to remain in self-isolation until your doctor declares you healthy. In case of an infection, faculty and staff members must notify the HR manager (eve.tobias@eamt.ee, tel. 6675 705) and students need to contact the head of the student affairs department (jane.kreek@eamt.ee, tel. 6675 711).
• Unvaccinated people who have been in close contact with an infected person must remain in self-isolation for 10 days and are not allowed to enter the study building at that time. Vaccinated people or those who have recovered from the coronavirus within the last 6 months do not have to self-isolate, but you should still be careful and test yourself just before coming to the study buildings.
• Faculty members do not have the obligation to provide online classes or extra classes for those who have had to self-isolate.
• If an employee of the Academy is not able to go to work due to being in self-isolation, the respective member of the rector’s office responsible for the specific administrative area must be informed with whom the possibility of working online or the grounds for absence from work will be agreed upon.
• Coming to the academy with symptoms of illness or non-compliance with the isolation obligation endangers the health and wellbeing of others and will lead to sanctions.
• Employees who have not been vaccinated and who have not been infected and recovered from COVID, are required to continue testing themselves at least once a week. As the Ministry no longer allocates test kits to universities for this purpose and the stocks of tests given to the EAMT for a transitional period have been exhausted, it is the employee’s own duty and responsibility to obtain the tests in the future.
• For reasons arising from the health of an employee or student of the Academy, the above requirements may allow exceptions. In case of such a problem, faculty and staff are asked to contact the manager of the respective administrative area of the rector’s office, students to contact the head of the student affairs department (jane.kreek@eamt.ee, tel 6675 711). If you wish, you can also turn to the equal treatment confidant (EAMT psychologist) (elina.kivinukk@eamt.ee) for advice. The Academy shall ensure that the health records of any employee or student are not disclosed.
• The cafeteria is open to the faculty and students of the Academy, as well as the guests who are allowed to enter the study building.
• The library provides its services to the members of the academy as usual. Other readers can enter the library only upon prior registration and presentation of a COVID certificate.
• The Academy considers countermeasures to the above-listed information or the spreading scientifically incompetent information as an inappropriate act for its members and contrary to academic ethics.

EAMT Rector’s Office