Erkki-Sven Tüür

Estonian composer, born on Hiiumaa in 1959. He spent his early twenties writing long instrumental stretches for the rock band In Spe before turning to concert music; the catalogue now runs to ten symphonies and concertos for violin, cello, percussion and organ. He calls the method of his last two decades "vectorial writing" — a whole piece grown from one interval or chord — and the result sits between minimalism and post-tonal writing. Paavo Järvi has performed and recorded him for decades, and the Estonian Festival Orchestra made the 2019 Alpha album Mythos for his sixtieth birthday.