Igor Garšnek

July 30, 1958, Tallinn
Member of the Estonian Composers' Union since 1982

Composer and music critic Igor Garshnek has composed music in almost every genre – works for symphony orchestra (e. g. 2 symphonies), large-scale vocal music, instrumental chamber music (e. g. string quartet, wind quintet, saxophone quartet), works for solo instruments, electronic music, music for plays and films and numerous popular songs.

Igor Garshnek graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory in composition with Prof. Eino Tamberg in 1982. In 1982–1984, he continued his studies at the postgraduate level at the Leningrad Conservatory with Sergei Slonimsky. In 1990, Garshnek attended the master class given by György Ligeti in Szombathely (Hungary).

Igor Garshnek has belonged as a keyboard player to the rock ensembles Synopsis (1977–1985), Hõim (1979), Atrium (1982–1983), Ruja (1985–1988), Data (1988–2002) and since 2003 Led R.

In 1984–2000, Garshnek taught polyphony at the Estonian Academy of Music and lectured at the Estonian Insitute of Law (1994–2000), Concordia International University of Estonia (2001) and Estonian Academy of Arts. He has worked as an advertisement editor at the State Concert Institute Eesti Kontsert (1984–1985), sound engineer at the Estonian Radio (1985–1993), sound recordist at the Film Studio Tallinnfilm (1988–1991), music editor at the Publishing House Avita (1994–1996) and Estonian cultural magazine Sirp. Additionally, Garshnek has hosted the music shows in Estonian Radio and Television (e. g. "Music life" 1998–2000, "Music and the Life" 2002–2004). His numerous music reviews and articles have been published in several journals, he is also an author of school music textbooks.

Igor Garshnek’s works have been performed by many acknowledged music groups and musicians, e. g. Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, NYYD Ensemble, Kremerata Baltica’s sextet, Tallinn Saxophone Quartet, pianist Marko Martin, organist Andres Uibo, clarinettist Toomas Vavilov and Robert Black. His music has been played in festivals Estonian Music Days, NYYD Festival, Tartu Rock and Lockenhaus Festival in Austria (2000).

Igor Garshnek has been awarded the Annual Prize of the Estonian cultural magazine Sirp (1994), the Annual Prize of the Endowment for Music of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (1997) for music reviews in journalism and The Order of the White Star 5th Class (2017).

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Updated in March 2017

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