Big Band Tartu
brings since 1998 together active people with a keen interest in music who, even though they are professionally engaged in a variety of fields from marine biology and landscape design to music-teaching and financial management, have a sincere desire to perform and present relaxing jazz music in Tartu and beyond.


The orchestra's long-term musical partner is the jazz choir HaleBopp Singers with its conductor Lauri Breede, with whom they have performed Duke Ellington's "Sacred Music", rock oratorio "Eversmiling Liberty" and the risotorios "Roheline muna" and "Näärmed" by Alo Mattiisen. Also, the two have participated in the Song Festival of Counties on the Shores of Lake Peipus, held in Elva, and other festivals.

As for visiting conductors, saxophone player Siim Aimla has exerted the greatest influence on the band - in spring 2010 they co-produced a concert programme inspired by Estonian folk music. This programme was later performed at the Viljandi Folk Music Festival (2010) and in Finland (2010) and Germany (2012). As for other conductors and musical partners, saxophone player Raul Sööt deserves a mention for his unique sound and original composition specially written for the band (Uus marss, 2010). Also very good Estonian conductors and composers Teet Raik (2013, 2023) and Bianca Rantala (2026) have been working with us.

We have had many contact of excellent musicians from abroad. The orchestra has studied Latin rhythms under the supervision of May Peters, a Dutch trombone player living in Puerto Rico. Petri Juutilainen, a Finnish trombonist, has given to us an nice overview all classic stars of big-band world with hes pieces. Antti Rissanen, an other Finnish trombonist, has given us overview of modern Finnish big-band music and helped to start with international festival Happy Big Band Weekend. With percussionist Stephan Genze we enjoyed some German jazz, with conductor Raitis Asmanis we took into our repertoire better pieces from Latvian and Ella Fitsgerald music, with Jukka Linkola we dicovered again wonderful Finnish big-band music. We have played also Dutch music with Eric Vloeimans (2021), Lithuanian music wuth Jievaras Ja¹inksis (2022), Norwegian music with Roger Johansen (2024) and salsa-music with Finnish trumpetist Tapio Maunuvaara (2025).

Special place in bands history has taken Vanemuine Theatre, where orchestra participated in production "Moonlight Express" with dancers and string orchestra (stage director and designer Mare Tommingas, coreograph Igor Barberic (Croatia), musical director Tarmo Leinatamm, vocalists Hedvig Hanson, Aivar Tommingas and Uku Suviste, instrumentalsoloists Tanel Avakivi (trumpet) and Marko Mägi ja Roland Mällo (saxophones). On season 2012/2013 there was given 20 performances for more than 7700 visitors.

Big Band Tartu in Kuressaare 29.06.2009

Big Band Tartu has performed with many Estonian solo singers, such as Sofia Rubina, Kreet Stubender, Gerli Padar, Uku Suviste, Silvi Vrait, Kaire Vilgats, Nele-Liis Vaiksoo, Kalle Sepp, Maiken, Ivo Linna and Koit Soasepp. The full list of all of their instrumental soloists is too long to be given here, but the internationally known among them include Steven Mead (euphonium, UK, concerts in 2010 & 2012), Martti Peippo (clarinet and saxophone, Finland, 2010), Johan van der Linden (saxophone, The Netherlands, 2012), Henry Kelder (piano, The Netherlands, 2012), Bert Langeler (trumpet, The Netherlands/Estonia, 2006-present) and Jason Hunter (trumpet, USA/Estonia) as well as world-famous Estonians Lembit Saarsalu, Tiit Paulus and others.

Almost 30 years of making music, the orchestra has given a number of concerts and performed at many festivals in Estonia (the Viljandi Folk Music Festival, Student Jazz, Tabasalu Big Band Fest, Rainbow Jazz, Võsu Viis, Mürtsub Pill and more), Finland (Tampere 2015, Imatra Big Band Festival 2014 and 2022, Turun Taiteiden Yö 2010 and Lahden Jazzitori 2010), Latvia and Lithuania (Vilnius Band 2003 and Trakai Fanfare Week 2009). 2016 we participated in Netherlands, Hoofddorp in Corendon MeerJazz 20th International Big Band Competition and took from there the 3rd place in 1st class (candidates over 200 bands). Big Band Tartu performs at an average of 20-30 concerts, dance evenings and other events each year. For more information on the band and its recordings and history, see http://www.convivo.ee/.

Big Band Tartu 30.12.2017 on the Ball of Vanemuine Theatre with Sofia Rubina
Tartu Junior Big Band on concert 03.01.2005

Conductors of Big Band Tartu:
- Loit Lepalaan 1998-2007
- Lirike Langeler (Vaher) 2007-2016
- Lauri Kadalipp 2016-2018
- Toomas Peterson 2018-
NGO Laulu- ja pillimänguselts Con Vivo, Aiandi tee 3-29, Lohkva, 62207 Tartumaa, Estonia, e-mail convivo, phones +372 518 8010