René Eespere
René Eespere is an Estonian composer and music teacher, born on 14 December 1953 in Tallinn. He received the State Prize of the Estonian SSR in 1989.
In 1972, Eespere graduated in piano from the Tallinn Secondary School of Music, where Valdur Roots was his teacher. He studied composition at the Tallinn State Conservatory from 1972 to 1977 under Anatoli Garshnek, then undertook postgraduate study at the Moscow State Conservatory from 1977 to 1979 with Aram Khachaturian and Alexei Nikolayev.
Since 1979, Eespere has taught composition and music theory at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. He became head of its music-theory department in 1987 and was appointed professor in 2003. A member of the Estonian Composers' Union since 1979, he has twice been elected to its council. He chaired the council of the music division of the Estonian Cultural Endowment from 1994 to 1997 and again from 2001 to 2003.
His early short allegorical ballets were staged at Tartu's Vanemuine Theatre in the late 1970s. Eespere drew on the work of Estonian visual artists: The Man and the Night was based on the art of Kristjan Raud, while Household Members was inspired by works by Kaljo Põllu. His best-known vocal-symphonic compositions include the oratorios Passion, Mystery and Meditation. He has also written music for children.
Among Eespere's best-known mixed-choir works are Glorificatio (1990) and Two Joys (1995). His filmography includes Inspiration (1985), Living Fire (1987), Music of the Underwater World (1988), A Man Like the Sea (1991), and Requiem for the Whooper Swan (2003).