Big Band Tartu

Big Band Tartu is supervised by Lirike Langeler, a highly regarded saxophone teacher, who is well-known in Tartu and Viljandi.

The orchestra's long-term musical partner is the jazz choir HaleBopp Singers with its conductor Lauri Breede, with whom they have performed the rock oratorio Ever-smiling Liberty and the risotorios Roheline muna and Näärmed by Alo Mattiisen. Also, the two have participated in the Song Festival of Counties on the Shores of Lake Peipus, held in Elva, and other festivals.

As for visiting conductors, saxophone player Siim Aimla has exerted the greatest influence on the band - in spring 2010 they co-produced a concert programme inspired by Estonian folk music. This programme was later performed at the Viljandi Folk Music Festival (2010) and in Finland (2010) and Germany (2012). As for other conductors and musical partners, saxophone player Raul Sööt deserves a mention for his unique sound and original composition specially written for the band (Uus marss, 2010). The orchestra has studied Latin rhythms under the supervision of May Peters, a Dutch trombone player living in Puerto Rico.

Big Band Tartu has performed with many Estonian solo singers, such as Sofia Rubina, Kreet Stubender, Hedvig Hanson, Gerli Padar, Silvi Vrait, Maiken, Kaire Vilgats, Ivo Linna, Uku Suviste, Aivar Tommingas and Koit Soasepp. The full list of all of their instrumental soloists is too long to be given here, but the internationally known among them include Steven Mead (euphonium, UK, concerts in 2010 & 2012), Martti Peippo (clarinet and saxophone, Finland, 2010), Johan van der Linden (saxophone, The Netherlands, 2012), Henry Kelder (piano, The Netherlands, 2012) and Bert Langeler (trumpet, The Netherlands/Estonia, 2006-present) as well as world-famous Estonians Lembit Saarsalu, Tiit Paulus and others.

Over the course of its 15 years of making music, the orchestra has given a number of concerts and performed at many festivals in Estonia (the Viljandi Folk Music Festival, Student Jazz, Tabasalu Big Band Fest, Rainbow Jazz, Võsu Viis, Mürtsub Pill and more), Finland (Turun Taiteiden Yö 2010 and Lahden Jazzitori 2010), Latvia and Lithuania (Vilnius Band 2003 and Trakai Fanfare Week 2009). Big Band Tartu performs at an average of 20-30 concerts, dance evenings and other events each year. For more information on the band and its recordings and history, see www.convivo.ee.