Elis Hallik

Elis Hallik (born 1986) is Estonian-born composer. It is said that in her works, tructural/mathematical/theoretical thinking are all very well balanced with intuitive creativity and sensitive openness to the essence of life. Her compositions are described as “gentle” and “with spectral radiance” (Gavin Dixon, Bachtrack, 2015).
Her music is performed by renowned ensembles, soloists, and orchestras, including nsemble Musikfabrik (Clement Power), Ensemble Mosaik (Enno Poppe), Ensemble Synaesthesis, L’Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France (Pierre-André Valade), the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (Baldur Brönnimann, Olari Elts) and many other.

In her composition Hallik is interested by what affects the ability to be conscious in the present moment and is observing everything around us – silence and noise in their various facets, micro-events in sounds and the musical process, because it provides to reflect on one’s surrounding existence and its patterns through insights. She looks for diferent structures and harmonies in the hope that there will be some recognition of the cyclical breathing or peace of life. Her processes in music often reflects natural enviroment, such as climate change, as well as archetypal forms of life.

In 2014, her piece “Impacts” for cello and double bass achieved the first prize at the International Summer Academy (ISA) of the mdw (University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna) that brought along the new commission – “To Become a Tree”, which premiered in 2016 at ISA of the mdw in Arnold Schönberg Centre, Vienna. In 2017, Hallik represented Estonia at the International Rostrum of Composers in Palermo with the piece “To Become a Tree” that was chosen among 10 recommended works by rostrum jury. In 2017, Elis Hallik was selected to be among ten composers whose new orchestral piece (“Fluchtpunkt”) was played by L’Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France under the batoon of Pierre-André Valade at the IRCAM’s Manifeste Festival.