Concert tickets are $30. Although concert tickets are available at the door, it is strongly suggested that you pre-register. A dinner with the choirs follows the concert and includes a hot meal, dessert, and tickets for two beverages – $40. The dinner has limited seating and must be reserved in advance by August 18th with payment made to stpeterstoronto@rogers.com. For reservations, please contact Tiiu Roiser at tiiu-roiser@rogers.com or 416-402-1132.
About Tartu Academic Male Choir – 113 years of male choir
Being the oldest male choir to have been continuously singing, since the year 1912 (113 years ago), the Tartu Academic Male Choir has established its honourable place in Estonian history and choir singing. The everlasting spirit has withstood all the difficulties that history has thrown its way.
The Tartu Academic Male Choir (TAM) is the oldest active men’s chorus in Estonia. Since being established in 1912 it has been a pillar of culture during the brighter, as well as the darker, times of the country’s history and has played a major role in developing and preserving male voice choir music. These 113 years of service have brought joy to thousands of listeners at home and away, bringing the choir numerous top awards from different competitions. TAM has been the highest rated male voice choir in Estonia for the last ten years (according to the local male voice choirs’ contest).
The choir’s repertoire comprises of very diverse music. Classical male voice choir pieces play an important role, but contemporary music and folk music arrangements are also some of favourites. The choir’s most beloved composers are probably maestros Veljo Tormis and Gustav Ernesaks, but maestro Alo Ritsing, who has also stood in front of the choir for more than fifty years, can not be left unnoticed. His music has a special place in TAM’s heart. A spark can also be seen in the singers’ eyes when operatic pieces are being performed. Over the years, many conductors have worked with the choir and as of now, the responsibility sits on the shoulders of Roland Viilukas, who started as the chief conductor only a year ago. Together with Made Ritsing, they stand for the high artistic level of the Tartu Academic Male Voice Choir.
Roland Viilukas – Chief Conductor
Roland Viilukas started his musical journey in the Heino Eller Music College. He has acquired a bachelor’s degree (in the class of professor Tõnu Kaljuste) and a master’s degree (in the class of professor Toomas Kapten) in choral conducting at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. He has studied orchestral conducting with professor Jüri Alperten, composition with Alo Põldmäe, and has also taken part in different master classes, including with Pablo Marqués Mestre (Conservatorio Superior de Música de Castilla-La Mancha in Albacete, Spain) and professor Toomas Kapten (the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre).
As a conductor, Roland Viilukas has worked with many choirs, including the mixed voice choir and orchestra of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, chamber choir Collegium Musicale, the Estonian National Male Choir, the mixed voice choir HUIK!, and beyond. Since 2016, he has also been a singer of the Estonian Male Choir. In autumn 2024, he started as the chief conductor of the Tartu Academic Male Choir.
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Tartu Akadeemiline Meeskoor on teadaolevalt vanim järjepanu tegutsenud meeskoor Eestis.
Juhan Simmi poolt 1912. aastal asutatud koor on olnud oluline kultuurikandja nii helgematel kui hämaramatel aegadel ning mänginud tähtsat rolli meeskoorimuusika edendamisel ja säilitamisel. 112 tegutsemisaasta jooksul on TAM rõõmustanud kümneid tuhandeid kuulajaid nii Eestis kui väljaspool kodumaa piire ning pälvinud arvukalt kõrgeid hinnanguid erinevatelt konkurssidelt. 2023. aastal toodi juba teist korda järjest Tartusse esikoht Eesti Meestelaulu Seltsi Gustav Ernesaksa nimelise meeskooride võistulaulmise kõrgeimas kategoorias. Tartu Akadeemilise Meeskoori repertuaarist leiab väga eriilmelisi teoseid – loomulikult on oluline koht meeskooriklassikal, aga meeleldi esitatakse ka nüüdismuusikat ja rahvamuusika seadeid. Koori lemmikheliloojateks võib pidada ilmselt maestroid Veljo Tormist ja Gustav Ernesaksa. Märkimata ei saa jätta üle 50 aasta koori ees seisnud Alo Ritsingut, kelle loomingul on TAM-i suures südames eriline koht. Samuti löövad lauljate silmad särama ooperikoore esitades. Aastate jooksul on Tartu Akadeemilise Meeskoori juhatanud mitmed nimekad dirigendid ning täna on koori peadirigendi vastutus värskelt ametisse asunud Roland Viilukase õlgadel, kellele tänane kontsert on ühtlasi ka esimene omataoline TAM-i ees. Lisaks aitab koori kunstilist taset kõrgel hoida Made Ritsing.
Roland Viilukas alustas muusikuteed Tartu Heino Elleri nimelises muusikakoolis Lauri Breede klassis. Tänaseks on Viilukas omandanud bakalaureusekraadi (prof. Tõnu Kaljuste klass) ning magistrikraadi (prof. Toomas Kapteni klass) kooridirigeerimises Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemiast. Lisaks on ta täiendanud end orkestridirigeerimises prof. Jüri Alperteni juures, õppinud heliloomingut Alo Põldmäe juhendamisel ning võtnud mitmeid meistriklasse sealhulgas Pablo Marqués Mestre (Conservatorio Superior de Música deCastilla-La Mancha Albacete, Hispaania) ja prof. Toomas Kapteni (Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia) juures.
Dirigendina on Viilukas teinud koostööd mitmete kollektiividega, sh Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia segakoor ja orkester, kammerkoor Collegium Musicale, Eesti Rahvusmeeskoor, Segakoor HUIK!, jt. Alates 2016. aasta sügisest laulab Roland Viilukas ka Eesti Rahvusmeeskooris. Tartu Akadeemilise Meeskooriga alustas Viilukas koostööd 2024. aasta sügisest.
