Among the number of prizes won by this gifted conductor, the most interesting for the moment is having been declared the “Cultural Pearl” laureate for the province of Tartumaa. While the City of Tartu is historically considered the cultural and intellectual centre of Estonia, the award has special significance in that the first Estonian national song festival was held there as long ago as 1869. So evidently Triin Koch has now become Tartu's first lady of song.
Triin Koch, born in 1975, has herself conducted choirs at various choral festivals, including the famed national festival (2009). She has stood in front of mixed choirs, student choirs, school-children's choirs, general festival choirs and even the world's largest professional male choir (Estonia's National Men's Choir). Besides being the musical director of the Tartu Ülikooli Akadeemiline Naiskoor (the University of Tartu Academic Female Choir) since 2005, she currently conducts the University's Chamber Choir as well.
The Estonian Choral Union has also acknowledged her skills and talent by declaring her the Conductor of the Year in 2009. In 2010 the Women's Choral Society declared her choir the Female Choir of the Year. At the national competition for women's choirs held in Tallinn as recently as March 2012 both conductor and choir won first place in the highest category. Welcome to Canada!
Andres Raudsepp
