Erkki-Sven Tüür (b. 1959) studied percussion and flute at the Tallinn Georg Ots Music High School (1976-1980) and composition with Prof. Jaan Rääts at the Tallinn Conservatoire (1980-1984). He also took private lessons from Prof. Lepo Sumera in Tallinn and developed his skills in the field of electronic music in Karlsruhe. In 1979, Tüür founded the progressive rock ensemble In Spe, where he was performed as composer, flautist, keyboardist and frontman until 1983. Since 1992, Tüür has been a freelance composer. His works are primarily commissioned by world-renowned performers and are frequently premiered abroad before reaching home audiences. His music is played regularly by the best symphony orchestras and outstanding soloists worldwide in the most prestigious concert halls.
The main characteristic feature of Tüür’s music is an intense energetic transformative dimension. The intuitive and rational approach is synthesised into a complete, organic system. Instrumental music makes up the main body of Tüür’s work. He has written ten symphonies, a number of works for symphony and string orchestra, fifteen instrumental concertos, a wide variety of chamber music and an opera. As a composer, Tüür wishes to stimulate the creative energy of the listener. ‘Music has to have everything – overwhelming power, illuminating light, endless gentleness and the deepest darkness. Fury, pain, remorse. Everything that makes us human. And the tender touch of redeeming love.’
Erkki-Sven Tüür’s works are published by Edition Peters and by Fennica Gehrman. Albums with music by Erkki-Sven Tüür have been released by ECM, Ondine, Warner and EMI Virgin. Tüür was awarded a Young Musicians Favorite Choice Award by the Foundation Prince Pierre de Monaco for his clarinet concerto Peregrinus ecstaticus in 2015. He also received a prize from the Christoph and Stephan Kaske Foundation. In the 2019/2020 season, Tüür was a composer in residence (creative chair) at the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and in July 2019, a composer in residence for the Fjord Classics Festival in Norway. He also collaborates with Vadim Gluzman and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra as well as for Emmanuel Pahud and the Berlin Philharmonic.