.png)
.png)
.png)
In celebrating these individuals, the Foundation reaffirms its mission to “promote understanding and knowledge of arts… and Estonian language” across the diaspora. The Young Artist Grant (a $2,000 award) supports young creatives of Estonian heritage in the U.S., helping them nurture their craft while strengthening ties to their roots. Each of this year’s recipients has a story that illuminates the living bridge between Estonia and America – a bridge built on song, dedication, and cultural pride.
Ingmar Kiviloo – A Multi-Talented Maestro with a Mission
Ingmar Kiviloo’s musical journey began in Tallinn but quickly grew wings that carried him across continents. Born in 2004 and raised in Estonia’s capital, Ingmar proved to be something of a prodigy: a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and composer who as a child sang with the Estonian Television Children’s Choir and mastered instruments from violin to piano and even drums. By his late teens, he had already participated in over 20 violin competitions internationally, earning prizes along the way. “Music became my universal language,” Ingmar reflects in his biography – a language he now speaks fluently on global stages.
As a high schooler, Ingmar shot to national prominence on Estonian television. In 2021, he was a finalist on “Eesti otsib superstaari” (Estonia’s Idol) – finishing in the Top 6 of a competition watched by thousands. A few years later, he showcased his own songwriting on the big stage of Eesti Laul 2024, performing an original pop ballad titled “Dreaming” that took him to the semi-finals of Estonia’s famed song contest. These appearances made Ingmar a familiar name in Estonia’s music scene while he was still a teenager, and they hinted at a bright future ahead.
In 2022, that future led Ingmar to the United States. He earned admission to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he is now studying composition, music production, and violin. That same year marked a defining moment for Ingmar not just as a performer but as a cultural organizer with a big heart. At just 18 years old, he initiated a large-scale charity concert called “Maailm, mis jääb meile” (“The World That Remains to Us”) in support of Ukrainian refugee children. The concert, held in Tallinn’s 6,000-seat Saku Suurhall arena and broadcast on national television, rallied nearly 500 young musicians to sing for peace and raise funds for kids affected by the war. It was a remarkable feat for someone barely out of high school – a testament to Ingmar’s leadership and the depth of his empathy. (The initiative’s impact was felt beyond the music: the city of Tallinn later recognized the concert as an outstanding youth achievement, underscoring how art can inspire civic action.)
Ingmar’s drive to connect worlds through music has only accelerated in the U.S. While juggling coursework at Berklee, he has found time to give concerts for Estonian diaspora communities across North America. From New York to Toronto and beyond, he’s stood on community center stages with his violin and microphone, sharing both Estonian folk tunes and original songs. “It’s about giving back to the people who’ve kept our culture alive here,” he says of these intimate performances. But Ingmar has also graced more storied venues: earlier this year, he performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, representing Estonia at a high-profile charity concert for Ukraine. He was also invited to perform in Washington, D.C. at NATO’s 75th Anniversary Gala, a diplomatic event where his music helped symbolize Estonia’s contributions on the world stage. Not many 21-year-olds can list Carnegie Hall and a NATO gala in the same breath.
Despite his growing international résumé, Ingmar remains grounded in his heritage. He often blends modern pop with touches of Estonian folk music in his compositions, believing that “melodies carry memory.” With the Foundation’s Young Artist Grant, Ingmar plans to further develop new musical projects that intertwine Estonian cultural themes with contemporary styles. In fact, he is already at work on “Laulu võim” (“The Power of Song”), a multimedia project exploring the importance of song festivals across Baltic communities – inspired by Estonia’s own Laulupidu tradition. For Ingmar, music is more than entertainment; it’s a bridge between generations and nations. “When I play, I feel connected to home no matter where I am,” he says. By uplifting Ingmar Kiviloo, the Foundation is supporting not only a promising artist but also a young ambassador of Estonian culture whose work resonates from Boston classrooms to Estonian concert halls.
Robert Nael – A Bassoon Virtuoso Bridging Continents
At just 18, Robert Nael has already journeyed further with his bassoon than many musicians travel in a lifetime. Hailing originally from Estonia, Robert moved to California in his teens to attend the renowned Idyllwild Arts Academy, where his exceptional talent quickly garnered attention. He not only graduated in 2025, but did so with the conservatory’s Outstanding Artist Award, marking him as one of Idyllwild’s top young performers of his year. Now, as a freshman at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music – studying under Grammy-nominated Estonian bassoonist Martin Kuuskmann – Robert continues to hone his craft while carrying forward a proud lineage of Estonian bassoon excellence.
Robert’s musical journey has been defined by courage and cross-cultural exchange. In the summer of 2024, on the eve of his senior year of high school, he received an invitation that most young musicians could only dream of: an opportunity to represent Estonia in the inaugural NATO Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. Organized to commemorate NATO’s 75th anniversary, this special ensemble brought together student musicians from member countries for a concert at the U.S. Library of Congress. Robert was chosen by Estonia’s Embassy after a competitive audition process – and he didn’t disappoint. “I’m proud of my nation and happy to represent it,” he said before the trip. With his bassoon in hand, the young maestro took the stage in July 2024 alongside peers from Europe and North America, performing for an audience of diplomats and international dignitaries in a concert that transcended borders. It’s not every day a teenager gets to play in a premiere at one of the world’s largest libraries, but Robert handled it with poise and a big smile.
Those who know Robert attribute his success not just to talent but also to attitude. His mentor Martin Kuuskmann praises Robert as a “precocious and humble” student with a “magnetic personality.” More importantly, Kuuskmann notes, Robert possesses an uncommon perseverance: “He works hard, no matter what… these aspects are what really make a talented musician have success,” the veteran instructor observed. Indeed, Robert’s discipline and positivity shine through in his packed schedule. No sooner had the NATO concert concluded than Robert was off to Estonia in August 2024 to attend the International Pärnu Music Festival’s Järvi Academy, an elite summer program led by Neeme and Paavo Järvi. There, he took masterclasses and even performed with the festival orchestra, immersing himself in the rich classical scene of his homeland. Before summer’s end, he had also journeyed to Finland for lessons with renowned bassoonist Dag Jensen, and performed as a guest with the Estonian National Youth Symphony Orchestra – all while preparing for college auditions.
By the time Robert arrived in Denver to start his undergraduate studies, he had a wealth of international experience under his belt. These experiences shape his musical voice. “The bassoon has given me so many opportunities,” Robert told a reporter, noting how its soulful, human-like tone first drew him in. In performances, whether in a Southern California recital hall or a European festival, Robert often includes music by Estonian composers (he is particularly fond of contemporary Estonian pieces that showcase the bassoon’s range). Award-winning and globally minded, he sees himself not only as a musician but as a cultural bridge. Each performance is a chance to introduce a bit of Estonia’s musical soul to new audiences.
The Foundation’s Young Artist Grant will help Robert take the next steps in his promising career. He plans to use the support for specialized training and perhaps the purchase of a higher-grade instrument – a crucial need for any serious bassoonist. “I always tell my students, you’ve got to believe in yourself… then go do it,” Martin Kuuskmann says of guiding young artists. Robert embodies that advice fully. His story – from a small Estonian music school to an American arts academy, and onto the world stage – is one of harmonic convergence between cultures. As he continues his studies in Denver, performing in symphonies and chamber groups, he carries the Estonian flag in his heart. The Young Artist Grant is not just an accolade for Robert Nael; it’s an investment in the cultural dialogue he furthers every time he plays a note.
Tjorven Hairfield (Honorable Mention) – Harmonizing a Community
Every Thursday evening in a church hall just outside Washington, D.C., Tjorven Hairfield raises her arms to conduct a chorus of singers, and a little piece of Estonia comes alive. Tjorven is the longtime choir director of the Baltimore-Washington Estonian Chorus (Baltimore-Washingtoni Eesti Segakoor), a community ensemble that brings together multiple generations of Estonian-Americans through song. In recognizing Tjorven with an honorable mention this year, the Foundation for Estonian Arts and Letters highlights the crucial role of community leaders in keeping Estonian culture thriving far from its native shores. Her work is a testament to the idea that heritage isn’t just preserved in archives or museums – it lives in weekly rehearsals, annual concerts, and the heartfelt harmonies of folk songs taught to new generations.
Under Tjorven’s guidance, the Baltimore-Washington Estonian Chorus has flourished as a cultural touchstone. The choir’s repertoire ranges from traditional regilaul folk tunes to the famed patriotic anthems of the Song Festival, as well as contemporary pieces by Estonian composers. Many chorus members are first- or second-generation immigrants; some are Americans who have married into Estonian families or simply fallen in love with the music. What unites them is the joyful act of singing in Estonian, a language that few Americans hear on a regular basis. Through regular performances – from intimate spring concerts to joint events with visiting ensembles – Tjorven has helped build a “vital link to the local Estonian community”, as she once observed after a successful choral exchange. She believes that every concert is both “a cultural event bringing something special from Estonia” and a gift to the singers themselves, who get to experience the camaraderie and pride of keeping traditions alive.
Tjorven’s impact extends beyond conducting. She is often found organizing Estonian Independence Day celebrations, teaching youth folk songs at summer camps, or coordinating with cultural organizations on the U.S. East Coast to ensure Estonian-language music remains part of community gatherings. Her leadership was on display in August 2025, when the Tartu Academic Male Choir – Estonia’s oldest male choir – toured North America. Tjorven prepared her chorus to join the esteemed Estonian visitors on stage in Maryland, blending local voices with those from the homeland in a powerful symbol of unity. Reviews of the concert noted the emotional resonance of seeing expatriate singers and their Estonian counterparts performing as one, bridging a 4,000-mile gap through common songs. Moments like these are possible largely thanks to dedicated culture-bearers like Tjorven Hairfield, who work behind the scenes (and on the conductor’s podium) to make sure the music is learned, the venues booked, and the audiences informed.
By honoring Tjorven with an official commendation, the Foundation underscores that preserving cultural heritage is a collective effort – one that flourishes not only through star performers but also through grassroots community involvement. In her hands, the simple act of a choir gathering each week becomes an exercise in cultural sustainability and joy. “So many beautiful old and new melodies,” one local Estonian newspaper wrote of the chorus’s recent concert, noting how 29 singers had “come to life” under Tjorven’s direction. For Estonians in America, especially those far from any large expatriate hub, a chorus like this can be a lifeline to identity. Tjorven Hairfield has devoted herself to making that lifeline strong and welcoming. Her honorable mention award is a heartfelt applause for years of volunteer-driven passion and a reminder that the song of a small nation can echo loudly, even an ocean away.
Fostering Heritage and Creativity Across the Ocean
Together, these three honorees paint an uplifting picture of Estonian culture blooming in American soil. Ingmar Kiviloo, with his genre-blending compositions and international outlook, shows how a young artist can carry forward Estonia’s musical legacy while pushing it in new directions. Robert Nael, through discipline and daring opportunities, embodies the global competence of the new Estonian generation – equally at home in a California mountain school or a European concert hall, and always ready to share his homeland’s music with the world. And Tjorven Hairfield reminds us that behind every young star on stage, there is often a community back home (or in diaspora) singing the old songs, providing the very foundation that artists stand on.
The Foundation for Estonian Arts and Letters plays a pivotal role in this story. By awarding grants and recognition, it not only provides financial support but also validation – a signal to these culture-carriers that their work matters and is seen. The Foundation’s Young Artist Grant is explicitly aimed at creatives of Estonian heritage in the U.S., and its importance cannot be overstated: it helps keep the next generation engaged with their roots while fueling artistic innovation. In a world where small cultures can easily be lost in the shuffle, such support is a bulwark for diversity. As all three recipients demonstrate, connecting to one’s heritage can be a powerful catalyst for creativity. In their own ways, each honoree is transforming the richness of Estonian art and tradition into new expressions that resonate in today’s America – whether it’s a pop song with a folk twist, a bassoon solo at an international gala, or a choir harmonizing in a local church.
Warm, insightful, and inspiring, the stories of Ingmar, Robert, and Tjorven offer a hopeful message: that cultural heritage can thrive in new lands when nurtured by passionate individuals and supportive communities. As the 2025 Young Artist Grant recipients take their next steps, they carry with them the hopes of two nations. Estonia’s artistic soul lives on in their endeavors, and American audiences are all the richer for it. In the words of one Estonian song often sung by diaspora choirs, “Laulu võim on vankumatu” – the power of song is unyielding. This year’s honorees are living proof of that power, channeling a legacy into a living, breathing art that bridges continents and generations.
