(b. 28 April 1972, Tartu).
Estonian composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and vocal works that have been performed throughout Europe and elsewhere.
Prof. Tulve studied composition with Erkki-Sven Tüür at the Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia – Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Tallinn from 1989–92 and with Jacques Charpentier at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris from 1992–94, where she earned a premier prix and where she also studied Gregorian chant and traditional music from 1993–96.
Among her honours are two prizes at the International Rostrum of Composers (recommendation in the category Under-30, 1998, for à travers; selected work, 2004, for Sula – Thaw) and the Heino Elleri nimeline muusikapreemia – Heino Eller Composition Prize in Tallinn (2000, for Sula), the Eesti Muusikanõukogu muusikapreemia – Estonian Music Council Music Award in Tallinn (2004), the Eesti Vabariigi kultuuripreemia – Estonian State Cultural Award in Tallinn (2005), the Noore kultuuritegelase preemia – Young Cultural Figure Award in Tallinn (2006), the Eesti muusika päevade preemia – Estonian Music Days Prize in Tallinn (2007), the Lepo Sumera nimeline heliloomingu preemia – Lepo Sumera Composition Prize in Tallinn (2017), the Fellowship of the Civitella Ranieri Foundation in Umbertide (2017), the Eesti Kultuurkapitali helikunsti sihtkapitali aastapreemia – Annual Award of the Estonian Cultural Endowment for the Performing Arts Endowment in Tallinn (2018, 2022), and the LHV uue heliloomingu Au-tasu – LHV New Composition Honorary Award in Tallinn (2019, for Tundmatuis vetes – In Uncharted Waters). She was given the title Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the government of France in 2012 and was named a member of the Ordre du Mérite culturel by the government of Monaco in 2015. Her music has been performed in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA.
She has also held other posts. She served as composer-in-residence to the Eesti Filharmoonia Kammerkoor – Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir in 2001–02 and to the Eesti Riiklik Sümfooniaorkester – Estonian National Symphony Orchestra in 2012–13. She has served as artistic director of the festival Eesti muusika päevad – Estonian Music Days in Tallinn since 2015. She has been a member of the Conseil Musical of the Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco in Monte Carlo since 2019.
She has taught at the Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia since 2000, where she was a lecturer on composition from 2000–11 and where she has been a professor since 2011. She also served as vice-rector there from 2012–16.
Edition Peters/Wise Music Classical publishes some of her music.
In addition to the works listed below, she has composed didactic music, film scores and incidental music.
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
It Is Getting So Dark (chamber opera, libretto by Sei Shōnagon [translated by Ian Morris]), female chorus (+ percussion), flute (+ piccolo, alto flute), French horn, harp, viola, double bass, percussion, film ad libitum (by Anu Lamp, Tarvo Hanno Varres), 2003–04
Tempo (music for dance performnce), fixed media, sound objects, 2017 (collaboration with Tatjana Kozlova-Johannes)
Visiones (mystery, texts from fragments of sacred representation found in the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Fava in Venice, the Gospel of Mary), soli, 2 mixed choruses, dulcian, 2 French horns, kannel (zither from Estonia), 2 nyckelharpa, theorbo, double bass, organ, Baroque ensemble, 2022
Wölfe (opera, libretto by Nina Gühlstorff), coloratura soprano, soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 tenors, baritone, bass, children's chorus, mixed chorus, large orchestra, 2022
ORCHESTRAL:
Sinine – Blue, small orchestra (14 players), 1998
à travers, small orchestra (12 players), 1998
Sula, didgeridoo (wind instrument from Australia), large orchestra (12 winds, 10 brass, harp, piano, 5 percussion, 60 strings), 1999
Extinction des choses vues, large orchestra (12 winds, 11 brass, harp, piano, timpani, 4 percussion, strings), 2007
Hõbevalge – Silverwhite, violin, string orchestra, 2007–08 (also longer version for flute, string orchestra, 2013)
Anastatica, orchestra (8 winds, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, percussion, strings), 2011
Hingamisveele – To the Breathing Water, string orchestra, 2011
L'ombre derrière toi, soprano viol, tenor viol, viola da gamba, string orchestra, 2011
Mäena vaikin ma paljust – Being Mountain I Remain Silent, orchestra (8 winds, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, 2 percussion, strings), 2013
Südamaa – Heartland, piano, orchestra (8 winds, 7 brass, harp, 3 percussion, strings), 2012–14
Taeva ja maa vahel – Between Heaven and Earth, percussion, string orchestra, 2015 (section of Hiroshima – Nagasaki, a collaboration with Malle Maltis, Liisa Hirsch, Tatjana Kozlova-Johannes, Toivo Tulev, Eugene Birman; may be performed separately)
Tundmatuis vetes, cello, string orchestra, 2018
Vers l'autre clarté, small orchestra (flute, harp, piano, percussion, strings), live electronics, 2024
Wand'ring Bark, orchestra (8 winds, 10 brass, harp, 2 percussion, strings), 2024
Signs and Signals, large orchestra, 2024–25
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Phainomenon, piano (+ synthesizer), celesta, marimba, tam-tam, fixed media, 1989–90
Lethe, flute, oboe, clarinet, cello, piano, 1991
Saar – Island, clarinet, violin, 1993
Öö – Night, 4 saxophones, 1997
Passage secret, 2 clarinets, 1999
Traces, amplified ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, baritone saxophone, violin, double bass, percussion), 2001
Cendres, amplified ensemble (flute, clarinet, 2 pianos, 2 percussion, violin, cello, double bass), 2001
Valvaja – Guard, oboe, 2002 (also version for synthesizer, 2023)
lumineux / opaque, violin, cello, piano (all + wine glass), 2002 (also version for clarinet, cello, piano [all + wine glass], 2004)
abysses, piccolo (+ flute, alto flute, bass flute), ensemble (piccolo [+ flute, alto flute], oboe, bassoon, trombone, viola, cello, percussion), 2003
effleurements, éclatements..., guitar, percussion, 2003
nec ros, nec pluvia..., string quartet, 2004
...il neige, kannel, harpsichord, 2004
Lendajad – Soarers, 2 piccolos (1st + flute, alto flute, 2nd + flute, bass flute), 2005
ligne d'horizon, flute (+ piccolo), oboe, clarinet, harp, guitar, mandolin, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 2005
stream, flute (+ piccolo, bass flute), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), violin, cello, 2006 (also versions as stream 2, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2009; stream 2a, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, percussion, 2009–10; stream 2b, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2011; stream 3, clarinet, trumpet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2021)
Silmajad – Beholders, 3 kannel, 2006 (also version for harp, kannel, harpsichord, 2009; version as Silmaja, kannel, 2006 [also version for kannel, live electronics, 2020])
les nuages parfois, 4 recorders, 2009
To Night-Travellers, the Light, cello, piano, 2009
Ma kuulsin sind laulmas – I Heard You Singing (text by Tõnu Õnnepalu), 3 percussion, 2010
Where the Two Seas Meet?, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, guitar, mandolin, piano, percussion, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 2010
Nagu jõgi mere poole – As a River towards the Sea, saxophone, piano, 2011
Pulss, mõõn ja voolamine – Pulse, Ebb and Flow, bass flute, piano, 2012
Rimlands, clarinet, cello, piano, 2012
Und von liehte vinster, bassoon, 2 violins, viola, cello, 2012
kõrgemale kui hing võib loota või meel varjata – higher than the soul can hope and mind can hide, 2 violins, 2015
Iga säde on arvel I – Every Spark Is Numbered I. Two Seas, santur (hammered dulcimer from the Middle East), ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, cello), 2015
Le reflet du reflet – Hommage à Pierre Boulez, flute (+ piccolo), clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2015
Languse ööl – At the Night of Decline, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2015 (version of In a nakht fun yeridah)
Iga säde on arvel II. Loori varjus – Every Spark Is Numbered II. Behind the Veil, harp, kannel, harpsichord, 2015
Iga säde on arvel III – Every Spark Is Numbered III. Río abajo río, violin, viola, cello, harpsichord, 2016
Maa süda – Heart of the Earth, piano, ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, percussion), 2017
The Night Sea Journey, saxophone, piano, percussion, 2017
Pimesi – Blindly, double bass, 2018
Meandering, bassoon, 2018
There Are Tears at the Heart of Things, alto flute, bass clarinet, harp, percussion, 2018
Was It Light?, recorders (1 player), kannel, harpsichord, synthesizer, live electronics, 2020
Without love atoms would stop spinning, cello, 2020
Emergence I. Flowering out of the Dark, violin, cello, piano, 2020
Emergence II. Sans fond ni rivage, alto flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, sound installation with live electronics (by Justine Emard), 2020, revised 2022
Farewell, farewell, flute, piano, 2021
As if dreaming, trumpet, 2022
Becoming Light – Music for Kaija, tenor saxophone, double bass, accordion, 2023
Awe, violin, piano, 2023
Feathers Falling, flute, 2024
Elegeia, kannel, pump organ, 2024
Confluence I. Deux mers, flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, 2 violins, viola, cello, 2025
CHORAL:
Exodus (texts by J. M. G. Le Clézio [translated by Kristiina Ross], Liis Kolle, the Bible), 2 sopranos, 16 mixed voices, 1992–93
Vie secrète (text by Pascal Quignard), 12 mixed voices, 2002
Reyah hadas'ala – Arise, The Perfume of Myrtles (text by Shalom Shabazi), 2 sopranos/2 countertenors, male chorus, soprano recorder (+ soprano pommer, bass recorder), alto recorder (+ tenor recorder, dulcian), bass trombone (+ trombone), violin, soprano viola da gamba (+ tenor viola da gamba, bass viol), bass viol (+ violone), positive organ, 2005
Arboles lloran por lluvia (text from a traditional source in Ladino), soprano, countertenor, male chorus (+ sandpaper blocks), nyckelharpa, 2006
I Am a River (text by Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī [translated by Nevit O. Ergin]), mixed chorus, 2009
Lost (texts by David Wagoner, Walt Whitman, E. E. Cummings), mixed chorus, 2014
See algab – It Begins (text by Maarja Pärtna), mixed chorus, 2015
Selline on õite tarkus – This Is the Wisdom of Blossoms (text by Maarja Pärtna), mixed chorus, 2016
In Silence (text by Thomas Merton), trumpet ad libitum, mixed chorus, 2016 (the first of its three sections may be performed separately: The Silence of the Forest, trumpet ad libitum, female chorus)
You and I (text by Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī [English translation]), mixed chorus, 2017
Alleluia Veni Sancte Spiritus (text from Latin liturgy), mixed chorus, 2018
Nächtliche Gesänge (texts by Paul Celan, Hilde Domin), mixed chorus, 2019
The Narrow Road to the Deep North (text by Matsuo Bashō [English translation]), 4 mixed voices, recorder, percussion, 2019
Gloria (text from Latin liturgy), mixed chorus, 2023
Geh bis an deiner Sehnsucht Rand (text by Rainer Maria Rilke), 8 mixed voices, fidel płocka (folk violin from Poland) (+ Biłgoraj suka [folk violin from Poland]), 2024
And Death Shall Have No Dominion (text by Dylan Thomas), mixed chorus, Baroque orchestra (2 oboes, 2 trumpets, positive organ, timpani, 8 violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, double bass), 2024
Ecce Stella (text by Stéphane Albelda), girls' chorus, children's chorus, boys' chorus, male chorus, harp, 2 cellos, organ, percussion, 2025
VOCAL:
Sõnajalad – Ferns (text by Karl Ristikivi), mezzo-soprano/baritone (+ claves), piano, 1994 (also version for mezzo-soprano/baritone [+ claves], kannel, 2006)
Ithaka (text by Tõnu Õnnepalu [translated by Antoine Chalvin]), female voice, violin, piano, 2000
Lijnen (text by Roland Jooris), soprano (+ sleigh bells, triangle), flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon (+ sandpaper blocks), French horn (+ sandpaper blocks), violin, viola, cello (+ rainstick), double bass (+ finger cymbals), 2003
In a nakht fun yeridah (text by Jacob Glatstein), soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, accordion, percussion, 2006 (also version as Languse ööl>)
silences / larmes (text from Mother Immaculata Astre), soprano, oboe, tuned glasses (+ mother-of-pearl wind chimes), 2006
L'équinoxe de l'âme (text by Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi [translated by Henry Corbin]), soprano, Baroque harp, 2 violins, viola, cello, 2008
North Wind, South Wind (texts from the Song of Solomon, Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī [English translation]), female voice, flute, kannel, cello, 2010
Mondnacht (text by Joseph von Eichendorff), soprano, kannel, 2010
Sool – Salt (texts by Maarja Kangro, the composer, Tarvo Hanno Varres), soprano, 2 percussion, 2011
Stella matutina (text from a source in Latin), female voice, prepared piano, 2012
Sinna otsime teed tagasi – We Are Searching the Way Back There (text by Ernst Enno), mezzo-soprano, flute (+ alto flute, bass flute), 2 violins, viola, cello, 2014
Ole tervitatud, Maarja! – Hail Mary (text from a traditional prayer from Estonia), soprano, oboe, 2015
Voices I. As if dreaming (text by Li Qingzhao), countertenor, xiao (bamboo flute from China), zheng (zither from China), piano, 2019
Lament (in memoriam Marju Lepajõe, texts by Hedi Rosma, the Mahabharata [English translation], Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī [English translation], Georg Mancelius), bass, small orchestra, 2019
PIANO:
Vertige, 2000
Kolm laulu – Three Songs, 2008
Laula mulle õitsvast puust – Sing to Me about the Blooming Tree, 2013
Humming in my Bones, 2024
ORGAN:
Emergence III. Et les courants y sont plus forts, 2020
Lacrimæ rerum, 2022
HARPSICHORD:
Sans titre, 1999
ELECTROACOUSTIC:
Delta, fixed media (2 tracks), 2003