Born in Kuusalu, near Tallinn, Estonia, 7 Aug 1930
Died in Tallinn, 21 Jan 2017
[PRONUNCIATION | VEHL-yoh TOR-mees]
- Veljo Tormis almost exclusively wrote for voice, including choral works, songs/ song cycles, and opera, as well as a small number of instrumental works. According to his biography, for Tormis, “music begins with words.” Many of his works are based on ancient Estonian folk songs, as well as on the music of other Finno-Ugric peoples.
- Tallinn came from a family of amateur musicians. At 12 years old, he was accepted at the music conservatory in Tallinn. A few years later, he continued his studies at the Moscow Conservatory.1
- Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Tormis’s works have become better known and performed more frequently in the West.
- Fun fact – Early on in his career, Tormis taught at the Tallinn Music School, and Arvo Pärt was one of his students.
Learn More
Composer’s website
Sources
- Mimi S. Daitz, “Tormis, Veljo,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed March 17, 2026, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000028167.