ETV2 marks Ants Üleoja’s 90th birthday with themed evening
Sunday 15th November 2026 on 11:15 in
Estonia
ETV2 will devote a themed evening on November 15 to conductor Ants Üleoja, who turns 90 on November 19, ERR reports. The schedule features programmes about his career and choral music.
The evening begins at 7.35 p.m. with “A Difficult Profession: Ants Üleoja” (1986). Üleoja reflects on duty, vocation, hard work and interest, accompanied by footage of everyday life and celebrations. The programme was directed by Maie Kivita.
At 8.10 p.m., “One Choral Song: Nocturne” (2016) features the Tallinn Chamber Choir performing “Nocturne” by Tuudur Vettik and Kersti Merilaas. Üleoja tells the story and conducts the choir.
“The Tree of Dreams” (2006), at 8.15 p.m., explores chance, destiny and whether dreams come true. Üleoja reflects on these and other subjects. The programme was directed by Ülle Õun, edited by Kaia Lattikas and produced by Margit Ossipova.
At 8.35 p.m., “Summer Neighbours: Avinurme” (2015) follows a contest between Avinurme and Tudulinna in the courtyard of the Avinurme Lifestyle Centre in Ida-Viru County. The Avinurme choir sings with Dagmar Oja, joined by Kaire Vilgats. Tudulinna is represented by the Oonurme choir, led by Üleoja and mentored by Gerli. With Jüri’s help, the contestants test their knowledge of their neighbouring municipality. The episode also features a draw for major prizes.
“Estonian Calendar Songs” (1973) airs at 9.30 p.m. The film is based on four parts of Veljo Tormis’s choral cycle: “Martinmas Songs,” “Swing Songs,” “St Catherine’s Day Songs” and “Midsummer Songs.” The lyrics are folk poetry. The movement was arranged by Helju Mikkel, and the performers are the Academy of Sciences Women’s Choir and Men’s Choir, both conducted by Arvo Ratassepp, and the Television and Radio Mixed Choir, conducted by Üleoja. Ants Lauter reads the text.
At 10.10 p.m., “Tuljak. 26th Song Celebration. The Touch of Time, the Time of Touch” (2014) tells the story of Miina Härma’s mixed-choir song “Tuljak,” written in 1897 to words by lawyer, amateur writer and choir singer Karl Ferdinand Karlson. The song reached the main stage at the ninth Song Celebration in 1928, in the programme for combined choirs. Üleoja conducts.
The evening concludes at 10.15 p.m. with “Artists of the People: Kuno Areng and Ants Üleoja” (1984), a programme about the creative careers of the two conductors. It was edited by Kaspar Viilup.