Allan Vurma (bass) is the founding member of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir that was established in 1981. Prior to that, he sang in the Ellerhein Chamber Choir, which was the predecessor of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. In 2008, Allan became a senior researcher and a faculty member at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, while continuing in the EPCC as a voice instructor.
Allan Vurma graduated from the Tallinn Conservatory (M.A. equivalent) in 1990 as the opera and recital singer, and as the vocal pedagogue (in the class of mezzo-soprano Leili Tammel). Previously, he also gained a degree in radio engineering from the Tallinn Polytechnical Institute in 1978.
In 2007, Allan Vurma defended his Ph.D. thesis ‘Voice quality and pitch in singing: some aspects of perception and production’ at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. He is the author of about twenty scientific articles, belongs to the Associate Editors board of the international scientific journal Musicae Scientiae, and is the Estonian national coordinator of the World-Voice-Day (for more information, please see: https://www.etis.ee/Portal/Persons/Display/ddb22640-dc5e-49a7-9503-4d3bbfe8bd4c, and www.world-voice-day.org ).
Allan Vurma has sung solo parts in numerous compositions (e. g. ‘Curse Upon Iron”, Litany of Thunder’, ‘Izhorian Epic’, and ‘Vepsian Paths’ by Veljo Tormis, ‘Kanon Pokajanen’, ‘Passio’, ‘Litany’, ‘Miserere’ by Arvo Pärt, ‘Uku and Vanemuine’ by Karl August Hermann, ‘Uku and Ecu’ by Raimo Kangro, ‘Svadebka’ by Igor Stravinski, ‘Curlew River’ by Benjamin Britten, and in many oratorios and cantatas). He has performed solo recitals, has been the guest soloists at a number of musical collectives and has won prizes from singing competitions in Estonia and abroad.