Olav Ehala (born 31 July 1950 in

Tallinn Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ' ...

) is an

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

n composer. In 1969, he graduated from Tallinn Music School and then studied composition under

Eugen Kapp Eugen Arturovich Kapp ( – 29 October 1996) was an Estonian composer and music educator. Characterized by simple harmonies, march rhythms and an appealing melodic style, his music is reflective upon the musical ideas favoured by the Stalinist ...

at the

Tallinn State Conservatory The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (''Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia'') began as a mixed choir of the Estonia Society Musical Department (EMD) on the eve of World War I. The assembly of the Estonia Society created the Tallinn Higher Musi ...

, graduating in 1974. From 1975 to 1991 he was the music director for the Estonian State Youth Theater. Since 1991 he has been teaching at the

Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (''Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia'') began as a mixed choir of the Estonia Society Musical Department (EMD) on the eve of World War I. The assembly of the Estonia Society created the Tallinn Higher Musi ...

and is currently a Professor Emeritus of

Music Pedagogy Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do origina ...

. Ehala has been a member of both the Estonian Theatre Union and the

Estonian Composers' Union Estonian Composers' Union (abbeviation ECU; et, Eesti Heliloojate Liit) is an Estonian creative union which encompasses professional composers and musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logi ...

since 1977, having been a chairman for the latter between 2001 and 2014. He has composed, arranged, and been a pianist for the ensemble Kiigelaulukuuik since 1989 and is a member of many other musical collectives. He has written music for over 70 plays and 60 films.

Works

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ehala, Olav Living people 1950 births Estonian film score composers 20th-century Estonian composers 21st-century Estonian composers Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 5th Class Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre faculty People from Tallinn Tallinn Georg Ots Music School alumni