On August 7 and 8, new arrangements of Veljo Tormis’s music will be performed at Krulli Quarter in celebration of the composer’s 95th anniversary. The pieces have been reimagined by composers Bianca Rantala, Jaak Sooäär, and Valter Soosalu. Actor Karmo Nigula will narrate the concert with interludes, and the audience will also experience a video installation based on Estonian visual art.

The performers include Duo Ruut, tenor Heldur Harry Põlda, bass Andres Alamaa, and cello soloist Leho Karin. Tormis’s original works and the new arrangements — crossing genres like runic music, jazz, and progressive rock — will be brought to life by Jaak Sooäär, the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, and conductor Valter Soosalu. The concert is directed by Laura Võigemast.

“For me, this is one of the highlights of the summer,” says artistic director and conductor Valter Soosalu. “We are celebrating the legacy of one of Estonian music’s greats, Veljo Tormis. What’s important to emphasize is that Tormis has not vanished — his work lives on. Estonian folk song and runo song are still being performed, reinterpreted, and they remain relevant and meaningful — even outside Estonia.”

“Tormis is primarily known as a choral composer, but I believe orchestras should also have the chance to perform his music. One way to achieve this is through orchestral arrangements of his choral works. Tormis himself started doing this, and composer Tõnu Kõrvits has since continued the mission. I’ve arranged one of my personal favorites — Three Songs from the Epic — for string orchestra. Duo Ruut will perform solo songs in orchestral arrangements. The connection between their style and Tormis’s music is unmistakable,” Soosalu adds.

Guitarist and composer Jaak Sooäär will present arrangements of several Tormis solo songs, joined by the orchestra and tenor Heldur Harry Põlda. In addition, new arrangements by Bianca Rantala — named Estonian Jazz Composer of the Year 2025 — will also be performed.

“The modern interpretations featured in our concert allow audiences to experience the power of Tormis’s music from a fresh perspective, thanks to the synergy of fantastic musicians. One of the main reasons I joined this project was precisely the chance to reimagine Tormis in a new light — through the blend of chamber orchestra and soloists,” Rantala explains.

Jaak Sooäär promises to make Tormis resonate through the combination of electric guitar and chamber orchestra making an unconventional pairing.

“You won’t find this setup in any textbook just yet, but that’s what makes it exciting. Transferring a piano part to the guitar is, for me, a radical push beyond traditional limits,” says Sooäär.

The visuals for the concert, based on Estonian art, will be created by video artist Alyona Movko-Mägi, and Priidu Adlas will design the lighting.

The concert “Tormis 95”, taking place on August 7 and 8 at the Krulli Quarter mechanical workshop, is a tribute by young Estonian musicians and artists to Veljo Tormis on the occasion of his 95th birth anniversary.
It not only honors the powerful legacy of Tormis’s music but also brings it into the present — through contemporary interpretations that keep Estonian folk culture alive and resonant.

Tickets are on sale at Piletilevi.