Artists and programme

Tormis Quartet (Voorand/Koikson/Sooäär/Daniel) and Ellerhein Girls' Choir met on the stage in Tel Aviv during MustonenFest in February. The concert went so well that it is a pure joy to perform together also at Viljandi Folk Festival.

Estonian composer Veljo Tormis (1930-2017) was one of the main choral composers of the 20th century in Europe. The great majority of his works are based on ancient Estonian folk songs. Singer Kadri Voorand and guitarist Jaak Sooäär have sung songs by him in choirs since early age and have always fanned his music. As a part of the celebration of the 85th birthday of Veljo Tormis, Jazzkaar festival proposed a concert consisting of his music in a jazzy context for which Voorand and Sooäär were joined by singer Liisi Koikson and guitarist Paul Daniel. As the debut went very well, the four musicians decided to continue as a group and have performed at all main folk and jazz festivals in Estonia and also in UK, Germany and Finland. This spring the quartet released their debut album "Tormisele". The quartet also received the Estonian Folk Grammy as the best new group in 2016.

Ellerhein Girls’ Choir was created in 1951 by Professor Heino Kaljuste (1925-1989). Since 1970, Tiia-Ester Loitme started working with Ellerhein as second conductor and she was head conductor of the choir from 1989 to 2012. Apart from giving concerts, all singers receive vocal training and solfeggio lessons. From 2012 the conductor is Ingrid Kõrvits. Also working for the choir are choirmaster and solfeggio teacher is Ülle Sander (since 1981), vocal coach Egle Veltmann and concertmaster Kadri Toomoja.
Over the past decade, various choral festivals and competitions have led the choir to over 10 different countries around the world, the choir has won numerous awards, including Grammy. In 2004, Ellerhein in collaboration with Paavo Järvi received a Grammy award (for best choral performance). It was awarded to the disc “Sibelius: cantatas” (Virgin Classics).
Last seasons offered many different and exciting projects for the choir, with repertoires ranging from Estonian choral classics to Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Ellerhein has had the chance to collaborate with many professional Estonian and foreign musicians and musical collectives including the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Estonian National Male Choir, The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, The Israel Camerata Jerusalem, Tõnu Kaljuste, Peeter Vähi, Mihhail Gerts, Paavo Järvi, Olari Elts and others.
In the season of 2016/2017 the choir celebrated its 65 years of activity.
In February 2018 Ellerhein Girls’ Choir had concert tour to Israel MustonenFest Tallinn-Tel Aviv where they were 2 weeks and had 13 successful concerts in different Israel cities with the collaboration of Israel Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and The Israel Camerata Jerusalem.

Kadri Voorand - vocals
Liisi Koikson - vocals
Jaak Sooäär - guitar
Paul Daniel - guitar

conductor Ingrid Kõrvits

www.facebook.com/VoorandKoiksonSooaarDaniel 
www.ellerhein.ee