Ülo Raudmäe

January 24, 1923 Rapla – October 14, 1990 Tallinn
Member of the Estonian Composers' Union since 1972
Member of the Estonian Theatre Union since 1959

Ülo Raudmäe (Saksberg until 1936) was a trombonist, conductor and composer who has remained in Estonian music history foremost as an author of musicals and operetta conductor as well as valued arranger.

Ülo Raudmäe graduated from Tallinn 1st High School in 1941, studied trombone in Tallinn Conservatoire in the class of Raimund Kull and Paul Karp from 1940–1946, and composition in Youth Section of Estonian Composers’ Union under Lydia Auster from 1949–1952.

Raudmäe played trombone in Tallinn Väiketeater (former Workers’ Theatre, 1942–1944), Estonian Radio Variety Orchestra (1944–1957, 1944–1948 under the name of Estonian Radio Jazz Orchestra) and theatre "Estonia" (1950–1979), where he also conducted operettas (Herbert Kawan’s "Sensation in Londonv, Leo Normet’s "Stella Polaris", Arne Oit’s "Weird Adventures of Muhu People", Mitch Leigh’s musical "Man of La Mancha" and others). In 1940ies he directed the ensemble Mickeys, from 1980 wind orchestra Tallinn (chief conductor since 1988).

Work in the theatre became a ground on writing for theatre: his musicals "Letter Poste Restante" ("Kiri nõudmiseni"), "Fairytale in Music" ("Muinaslugu muusikas"), "Pippi Longstocking", "Four Musketeers" (co-author of two latter ones Ülo Vinter) and "Bachelors" ("Poissmehed", based on Arne Oit’s music) were staged in "Estonia" under his own baton. He has also written works for wind orchestra and popular songs like "A Little Girl" and "Hay Carriage".

Raudmäe was reknowned as an orchestrator – he has made an orchestrations for several stage works (Gorni Kramer’s "Sunday in Rome", Pál Ábrahám’s "Ball im Savoy", John Kander’s "Cabaret"), and has arranged music for wind orchestra.

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