Adalbert Wirkhaus (17 May 1880 Väägvere, Sootaga Parish,

Tartu County Tartu County ( or ''Tartumaa'') is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is located in eastern Estonia bordering Põlva County, Valga County, Viljandi County and Jõgeva County. The area of Tartu County is , which covers 6.9% of the territory of E ...

– 19 December 1961

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) was an

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

n composer and conductor. He was the first Estonian professional conductor.

Life

Wirkhaus' father was the musician and Estonian social movement figure David Otto Wirkhaus. In 1908, he graduated from

Leipzig Conservatory The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig () is a public university in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn as the Conservatorium der Musik (Conservatory of Music), it is the oldest music ...

in conducting and in composition speciality. , Elvi Nander and while appearing in Wirkhaus's ''Kevadtormid'' in 1934 From 1908 to 1912, he was a music director of the

Estonia Theatre Estonia Theatre is an historic landmark building in central Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finl ...

. 1912–1917, he was a music director of Valga Säde Society. In 1919, he founded (with August Nieländer) Tartu Music School. In 1944, he fled with his family from the advancing Red Army to Germany. Since 1949, he lived in

, USA. His son was the composer and conductor Taavo Virkhaus and his nephew was the composer, choir director and organist Leonhard Virkhaus.

Works

* ''Jaaniöö'' (Midsummer Night, 1911), the first Estonian operetta * ''Kevadtormid'' (Spring Storms, 1934), operetta

References

1880 births 1960 deaths 20th-century Estonian composers Estonian conductors (music) University of Music and Theatre Leipzig alumni Estonian World War II refugees Estonian emigrants to the United States People from Tartu Parish {{Estonia-musician-stub