Veljo Tormis

Estonian composer Veljo Tormis (b. 1930), one of the most important and productive of contemporary choral composers. He has written over 300 works for choir. During the Soviet era music - and especially choral music - provided a safety valve for the Estonians and a means of asserting their national self-esteem vis à vis the Soviet authorities. Tormis became one of the central figures of these patriotic aspirations.