Musician Kadri Voorand to be the new Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of Tartu

In the coming academic year, singer, pianist and composer Kadri Voorand will become the new Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of Tartu, with a lecture course focusing on life-changing creation. She will be succeeded by Peeter Jalakas, former professor and director, who will participate in a public discussion titled “Feeling and meaning” in the attic hall of Tartu Cathedral on the evening of 23 May.

Beginning her work as Professor of Liberal Arts in September, Kadri Voorand's versatile, surprising and intelligent work blends elements of jazz, pop and folk and is appreciated both in Estonia and internationally. "I believe that Kadri Voorand, as a young and successful musician, will bring fresh creative thinking to the University of Tartu and will be able to inspire the students, university staff and the general public at the same time," said Professor Anti Selart, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. “Her course provides an opportunity to make sense of your own world and the world around you through composition."

Kadri Voorand's lecture course “Where does life-changing creation come from and what's in it for me? (On the example of music)" (HVKU.00.010)  starting in autumn is an extraordinary journey into music in a broader sense. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on musical creation and its life cycle through themselves, and to find new ways to enrich their everyday lives through creation. The course is open not only to students but also to anyone else interested.

Kadri Voorand graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and furthered her education at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. She has performed all over the world and four of her seven albums have been awarded the Estonian Jazz Album of the Year. Among other awards, she has won the annual award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the Estonian Choral Association's Choir Composer of the Year, the President of the Republic's Cultural Foundation's Young Cultural Figure award and numerous jazz music prizes.

Her musical handwriting is known for its passion and spontaneity, while at the same time being characterised by intellectualism and an extremely high level of vocal technique. In addition, her work as an arranger and composer is outstanding, the best results of which are represented on Estonian Voices recordings, as well as in the repertoire of recent song festivals. Voorand's best known musical ensembles are Estonian Voices, Tormis Quartet, Kadri Voorand Trio/Quartet and in recent years Kadri Voorand in Duo with Mihkel Mälgand. In addition, Voorand has collaborated as a guest with several other acclaimed musicians and composers such as Anthony Baker, Rein Rannap, Tanel Ruben, Erki Pärnoja and Tõnu Kõrvits.

On 23 May at 16:00, during the public discussion "Feeling and meaning" in the attic hall of Tartu Cathedral, the current Professor of Liberal Arts, director Peeter Jalakas, will hand over his position to Kadri Voorand.