Jaanus Nurmoja
June 23, 1967 TallinnThe way to the music composition that Jaanus Nurmoja passed was long and bumpy and – last but not least - anything but traditional. Namely, we cannot find any music school from his biography, no matter how we would look for – not to mention any music academy. Instead, we see him studying journalism at the University of Tartu (graduated 1993) and working as radio news editor, local municipality government's press-secretary (in Tallinn, then in Rakvere) and shortly also in a small TV-team as a producer, cameraman and presenter. Today he acts as a freelancer journalist and since 2012 also as a conductor of Male Choir Rakvere.
His musical knowledges were first aquired from his father, then accumulated step by step thanks to playing in youth brass orchestra during his scholar years (first altsaxhorn, later tuba) and singing in various choirs. Since the middle of 1980-s he decided for many reasons to test himself in the music composition field.
Unexpected "beginner's luck" hit Jaanus Nurmoja in early spring 1990, when his bossanova "Lähen ja naeran" ("I'm going and laughing", lyrics by Tõnu Trubetsky) for a vocal group SATB with accompaniment got a diploma (2nd place) of the Uno Naissoo composition competition in the song category.
The following years Jaanus Nurmoja committed mostly to his professional career as a journalist and PR-specialist, being also a singer in high-level amateur choirs (like Non Troppo and Mixed Choir of Estonia Society) and making very rare attempts to achieve something in music composition. But in 2003, he moved to Rakvere, the city that the people engaged in different arts say injecting a particular creative power. As a result of many circumstances, only there many of his old musical ideas were completed, some of the unperformed works were performed along with pretty new ones.
In 2008, the first public concerts were held after 1990 where Nurmoja's works were heard - a choice of rock songs, some of them with choral back in June (a concert "100% Estonia. 100% Rakvere" promoting local composers), then "Laudate Dominum" (written ten years earlier for mixed choir) and the new work "Natus est Emmanuel" for mezzo soprano/alto, mixed choir and string orchestra in December. Year later the choir and orchestra performed his bolero "Öökuninganna" ("Queen of the Night", lyrics by Villu Kangur), written in 1998 and the "Hollywood-like" "Aastaring" ("Year round"; the music was composed already in 1999 but the lyrics Jaanus Nurmoja succeeded to write only 10 years later, less than one month before the concert). In all cases the performing choir was the Chamber Choir Solare (conductors Elo Üleoja, Marge Matson and Keio Soomelt). Jaanus Nurmoja, being already a member of Male Choir Rakvere (since 2012 he is also one of conductors) joined this choir as well.
Since 2009, the audience heard Male Choir Rakvere performing some of his works. Later, a male quartet HaLe MaJa was formed of four Solare members, included Jaanus Nurmoja who have composed or arranged some songs for this ensemble. One of his latest works for male choir was inspired by the situation in Ukraine since 2014. "Kartulimardikas"/"Zhuk" (The potato beetle) is "aimed" to scare away these pests.
The lyrics of Nurmoja’s songs are written mostly by Neeme Plutus (1972–2009), the poet, composer and rock musician from Rakvere, but finalized by Jaanus Nurmoja as Plutus died unexpectedly in March 5, 2009 (being 37 years old) and his work with these lyrics was interrupted. In June 2010, "Looda ja armasta" ("Hope and love") for mixed choir and piano/orchestra was first performed in Rakvere by Solare and became later a label song of the choir’s CD. Their another collaborative work – rock-ballade "Rahu" ("Peace", written in 2008) was performed in May 2011 by local rock musicians during a posthumous presentation of Neeme Plutus’ poetry book and his 2nd CD. Nurmoja says he got then an "idée fixe" to write music on Plutus’ poetry as much as he will get ideas. Indeed, 5 standalone songs and one 5-part cycle are composed so far. In 2015, Jaanus Nurmoja was acknowledged the best song arranger at the state vocal ensemble competition "Songs of Uno Naissoo".
As a composer, Jaanus Nurmoja has totally 52 completed and registered works – mostly choral music but also rock and jazz are represented.
Look also: https://www.youtube.com/c/JaanusNurmoja
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