Toivo Tulev

born in 1958, he attended a secondary music school in Tallinn before studying theory and composition with Anti Marguste at the city’s Higher Music School (1976–80) and composition with Eino Tamberg at Tallinn Conservatory (diploma in 1990). He subsequently furthered his training with s. d. Sandström in Stockholm, studied electro-acoustic music at Cologne’s Higher School of Music and undertook a post-graduate course at the Estonian Academy of Music.
Many of Tulev’s works have been performed internationally on numerous occasions, including Tokyo’s new music festival dedicated to Toru Takemitsu (1998). Opus 21 and Violin Concerto have been selected among the best ten compositions at the 1996 and 2002 International Rostrum of Composers. Tulev’s foreign commissions have included those from the Baltic Arts Festival in London (Quella Sera for chamber orchestra, 1996), the Gaida Festival in Vilnius, the Nieuw Ensemble (Don’t Call Him Too Early, 2002) and the ‘MaerzMusik’ Festival in Berlin (Be Lost in the Call, 2003).
The composer’s honours include the Annual Prize of the Estonian Cultural Foundation (2001, 2003).

Selected works: Signum for symphony orchestra (1990), Quella Sera for chamber orchestra (1996), Gare de l’Est for chamber ensemble (1999), Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (2001) Ambra for symphony orchestra (2002), Cruz, ballet (premiered in 2002), Don’t Call Him Too Early for ensemble (2002), Be Lost in the Call (2003).

Swing Low for chamber ensemble and synthesizer was written in the summer of 2003 as a commission from the 2003 nyyd festival and the U-ensemble. It was premiered by that ensemble on 16 October 2003 in the Chamber Hall of the Estonian Music Academy.
Duration: ca 10’.

Toivo Tulev