When Juhan Simm stepped in front of the choir with his baton, the era of national awakening was already well underway. Yes, even back then, singing patriotic songs together with like-minded people felt more powerful and forward-driving than anything else done before. Together, they felt braver, and the song sounded not only louder but also more beautiful. This, of course, required a synergy of strong will and sufficient skill.

Juhan was a student himself, and unlike most students who were content with boisterous singing among their fraternity mates, he longed to create beautiful choral music. Studying mathematics likely helped him understand what elements were needed to achieve pleasant harmony and well-led communal singing. Despite opposition from many students and their societies, a male choir was successfully founded at the beginning of 1912, gathering enough members from different student organizations to ensure strong choral singing. Success followed quickly, with the first concert — featuring a fairly demanding repertoire — held just a few months later. From then on, there was no shortage of singers.

When Simm eventually ran out of energy to lead both the Vanemuine Orchestra and several choirs, professional vocal pedagogue Leenart Neuman took over the nearly 100-member male choir in 1924. Since Mart Saar was Neuman’s favorite composer, his works naturally found their way into the choir’s repertoire. In 1926, the choir traveled on an extended foreign tour to Austria-Hungary, and in 1932, they visited Riga for the first time. Although Leenart had many unrealized ambitions with the choir, fate did not allow them to come true. In 1933, the choir had to find a new conductor.

Richard Ritsing quickly took the reins, and by 1937, the choir completed its longest tour yet, covering six European countries and performing in eight cities. Despite occasional downturns, the choir’s development continued on an upward trajectory. At times, the membership even exceeded 100 singers. And although the Soviet era confined tours mostly to the vast territories of the USSR, the choir’s core repertoire remained firmly rooted in Estonian national choral music. The Tartu Academic Male Choir (originally the United Male Choir of Tartu Students, then Tartu University Male Choir, and since 1965, the Tartu Academic Male Choir, or TAM) has consistently considered songs with hidden messages about homeland, fathers’ land, love, and freedom the best part of any repertoire, regardless of time or event. The transition of the chief conductor role from Richard to his son Alo went smoothly — Alo had already been serving as a conductor with the choir since 1963.

While Richard Ritsing composed many songs for the male choir — some of which are still popular today — Alo Ritsing, who became the chief conductor in 1974, has been equally prolific in composing songs and shaping the choir’s sound. In recent decades, every concert by the choir has included two or three pieces composed by Alo. His most successful works are also sung by other choirs, including international ones. Just as TAM has triumphed in choir competitions, Alo’s compositions have earned victories in music composition contests. Perhaps it also helped that his teacher at the conservatory was Gustav Ernesaks? Notably, singers themselves highly praise the works of both men.

In the new century, a new generation of conductors has taken the helm. Since 2012, TAM has been led by Kuno Kerge, who once studied under Alo Ritsing at the Heino Eller Tartu Music College. Alongside him stands Alo’s daughter, Made Ritsing, who also knows how to lead the men following her father’s guidance. New challenges and lofty goals await the choir both at home and abroad.

What kind of songs do the men of the Tartu Academic Male Choir enjoy singing? It seems that through song, the softer side of men otherwise seeking engines, power, and adventure is revealed — they gladly sing thundering songs about the sea, storms, and pirates both on land and at sea. But if they can’t sing about home, homeland, and mother tongue, something feels off. And more meaningful than a mediocre philosophy course grade is a heartfelt performance of eternal songs about the Golden Shore, the unsung song, or the singer freezing in a blizzard… Yet always also about home and homeland, searches and discoveries, love, children, mothers and fathers, and ancestors.

But above all, they prefer singing songs that are not only well-written but also well-conducted. The Tartu Academic Male Choir has been fortunate with its conductors.

Compiled by Argo Soon
Translated with AI.