ESTONIAN PIANO ORCHESTRA

Lauri Väinmaa  ( In 2016/2017, Lauri Väinmaa is replaced by Kristi Kapten )
studied with Mikhail Pletnev and Lev Vlasenko at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, with Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy of Music in London and with Bruno Lukk at the Tallinn Conservatory. Lauri Väinmaa is a  prize-winner of several international competitions, he has given recitals and appeared with the orchestras in many European countries, as U.K., Germany, Holland, Sweden, Finland etc. He has recorded 4 CDs featuring Estonian music for Warner Classics (Finlandia Records). Väinmaa´s repertoire ranges from Bach through classical and romantic composers to Ligeti and Schnittke. It includes all sonatas and concertos by Beethoven (performed as cycles), complete piano music by the 2nd Viennese School, Arvo Pärt and Alfred Schnittke. Väinmaa teaches at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Väinmaa's students have won prizes in the national and international competitions. He has given numerous masterclasses in the U.K., Italy, Holland and Finland. He has served as a jury member in several international competitions. Väinmaa is the Artistic Director of the biannual International Pianists´Festival KLAVER in Tallinn, Estonia.

The duo Piret Väinmaa – Lauri Väinmaa has been performing together since 2001. The duo has established a close working relationship with the composer Urmas Sisask who has dedicated them his 30-pieces cycle "The Starry sky of Ancient Estonians" for 2 pianos.

Kristi Kapten 

has studied in Tallinn Music High School and Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (MA). Since 2013, Kristi has started doctoral studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with prof Peep Lassmann. She has performed as a soloist in Estonia, UK, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, China and performed in numerous festivals, among them Tallinn Piano Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, West End Festival, etc. Kristi Kapten has performed in several competitions as a soloist and chamber musician. In 2011, Kristi Kapten won 1^st prize in the Tallinn International Piano Competition and a scholarship of Lilian Semper Foundation.

Piret Väinmaa 

studied at the Estonian Academy of Music with Bruno Lukk, Lauri Väinmaa, Lilian Semper and Ivari Ilja. She has performed as a soloist and a chamber musician in the UK, Germany, Finland, Latvia and Estonia and appeared as a soloist with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. Piret Väinmaa has written articles for different music journals in Estonia. She teaches solo piano, chamber music and collaborative piano in the Tallinn Georg Ots Music School. http://piretvainmaa.com/

Margus Riimaa 

He has graduated from the Tallinn Music High School, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, University of Music in Cologne and Carnegie Mellon University Piano Performance Masters program in the US. His most influential teachers have been Heli Rooma, Lauri Väinmaa and Arbo Valdma.  Margus Riimaa has performed in big concert halls, like “Estonia” Concert Hall, Avery Fisher Hall (NY) and Carnegie Hall (NY). Margus has given a multitude concerts in local gymnasiums, churches and cultural centres all over Estonia. Since 2014, Margus works in the “Vanemuine” theatre as a coach and performs often together with talented Estonian singers.

Johan Randvere

has graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and continues his studies in the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatoire in Milano. Randvere has participated in numerous competitions in Estonia and abroad: Estonian National Pianists competition 2008 (finalist, diploma),  10th   EPTA (European Piano Teachers Association) competition in Waterloo, Belgum 2010 (II prize), Competition for musicans in Catania 2012 ( I prize and a Grand Prix ), Competition “Luciano Luciani” in Italy, ( III place), Competition “Coop” in Italy (II prize ). Randvere  has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Italy, Belarus, Sweden, Germany and Finland. In 2013, Randvere was among the finalists in Estonian Public Broadcasting Company´s competition programme “Classical Stars”.

Mati Mikalai 

studied with Lembit Orgse, Bruno Lukk, Lauri Väinmaa and Peep Lassmann at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre . He received the 1^st prize at the Estonian National Piano Competition and the 3^rd prize at the International Piano Competition in Kil in Sweden in 1994. He has performed in France, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Estonia as a soloist and with different chamber music groups. Mikalai teaches at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and in the Tallinn Music High School. 

Kai Ratassepp 

studied with Lilian Semper ja Peep Lassmann at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. She has won prizes in several national and international competitions. She has performed in France, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Estonia as a soloist and with different chamber music groups. Ratassepp teaches at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and in the Tallinn Music High School. 

As a duo, Ratassepp and Mikalai have been playing together since 1998. They have received the 1^st prize at the prestigious International ARD music Competition in Germany and the 2^nd Prizes at the International Competitions in Kaunas, Lithuania and in Padua, Italy. The duo has given recitals and performed with the orchestras in Germany, Italy, France, Russia and Estonia. They have recorded for different radio stations in Germany (Bayerischen Rundfunk, DeutschlandRadio Berlin). The duo's repertoire reaches from Mozart to contemporary composers with a special emphasis on the works by the Estonian composers.

Piret Habak 

studied at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Toivo Nahkur (solo piano) and Nata-Ly Sakkos (piano duo). She has performed with different chamber music groups in Japan, Canada, Italy, Turkey, Sweden and elsewhere. Besides performing Habak teaches solo piano, piano ensemble and collaborative piano in the Tallinn Music High School.

Reet Kopvillem-Ruubel 

studied at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Kalle Randalu (solo piano) and Nata-ly Sakkos (piano duo). She has played with different chamber music groups in Germany, France, Rumenia and elsewhere. Kopvillem-Ruubel teaches piano and chamber music in the Tallinn Music High School. The duo Habak – Kopvillem-Ruubel has been playing together since 1986. They have participated in the festivals in Germany, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Their repertoire ranges from Bach to contemporary Estonian composers.