Tõnu Kõrvits (b. 1969) graduated in 1994 from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT), studying composition under Raimo Kangro, and completed his master’s degree in 1999 under the guidance of Jaan Rääts. He has worked at Klassikaraadio and has been a lecturer at EAMT since 2001. Entering the music scene in the mid-1990s, he captivated audiences with his works featuring a simple, melodious style. One of his notable early works is Concerto semplice for guitar and chamber orchestra (1992), a piece filled with a bright and cheerful mood from start to finish.
Nowadays, Kõrvits’ musical language has grown more complex, yet it retains a romantic tone, emotional depth, and harmonious sound despite the intricacy of its harmony. His quest for beauty is reflected in his poetic titles, often inspired by nature. His music frequently includes elements of impressionistic airiness, with melodic lines occasionally featuring intonations reminiscent of Eastern origins. Kõrvits has increasingly turned his attention to folk heritage, drawing inspiration from traditional melodies, poetry, and the broader nature-connected way of life. He has shown particular interest in the enchanting realm of Estonian sacred folk songs – popular versions of church chorales. A frequently performed cycle that incorporates these elements, along with the work of Cyrillus Kreek, is Kreek’s Notebook (Kreegi vihik).
Nargen Opera has performed his operas My Swans, My Thoughts (Mu luiged, mu mõtted, 2005) and Firegarden (Tuleaed) (2006), the Estonian National Opera staged his opera Butterfly (Liblikas) (2013), and Vanemuine Theatre presented a ballet based on his work Moorland Elegies (Lageda laulud) (2019). A series of his works revolve around Thule, the mystical and mysterious North.
Kõrvits’ compositions have been performed by all of Estonia’s renowned performers and ensembles, as well as numerous international musicians. He is highly regarded as an arranger and composer of incidental music and has received numerous awards for his work: the Heino Eller Music Prize (2001), the Young Cultural Figure Award from the President of the Republic (2002), the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s Music Prize (2004 and 2014), the Cultural Endowment Annual Award (2020), the ‘Live and Shine’ Scholarship from the Cultural Endowment (2006), the Estonian Music Council’s Annual Prize for his contribution to Estonian orchestral music (2007), the Cultural Award of the Republic of Estonia (2011 and 2016), the Estonian Music Days Composer’s Prize (2014), the Estonian Choral Association’s Composer of the Year (2014 and 2021), the Estonian Public Broadcasting’s Musician of the Year (2015), the Order of the White Star, III class (2016), the Lepo Sumera Composition Prize (2018), and his album Moorland Elegies was awarded Classical Album of the Year at the Estonian Music Awards Gala (2017).
