Liisa Hõbepappel (b. 1994) is an Estonian composer of the younger generation whose music is characterized by a refined sense of tonal color and a search for new means of expression. In her works, she engages with minute details that form an interconnected network of meanings, and her creative style has been compared to detail-sensitive graphic art. She has written music for both Estonian and international ensembles; last year, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO) performed her work And Now is Still Now (Ja nüüd on ikka veel nüüd). Over the past two years, her creative focus has expanded into opera: during a residency with the Forum Neue Kunst in Northern Germany, she wrote the children’s opera Der kleine Prinz oder seine erste Reise in die Herzen, and she also premiered the chamber opera Earthling (Põrmuline) in collaboration with Ensemble U:.
Hõbepappel’s work has earned significant international recognition. She was the regional winner of the 2022 Discovering Young Composers of Europe (DYCE) competition, which led to a commission for her work Rosa majalis. This piece was performed across Europe by four new music ensembles: Cikada Ensemble (Oslo), Divertimento Ensemble (Milan), Taller Sonoro (Seville), and Ensemble U: (Tallinn). The same work took second place in the under-30 category at last year’s International Rostrum of Composers and was included in the list of recommended works.
Hõbepappel has collaborated with the Tallinn New Music Ensemble, the Belgian ensemble Fractales, and L’Arsenale from Italy. In Estonia, her music has been performed by the Estonian National Male Choir, Trio ’95, clarinetist Taavi Orro, pianist Sten Heinoja, organist Kadri Toomoja, and singer Iris Oja. In 2024, her work First Step, Last White was nominated for the LHV Au-tasu (Estonian Composition Award). She was also the recipient of the Artur Lemba Scholarship in 2020.
Liisa Hõbepappel graduated from the Heino Eller Music School in 1997 in composition (under Alo Põldmäe and Katrin Aller). In 2021, she graduated cum laude from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre under Professor Toivo Tulev and continued her Master’s studies there under Professors Toivo Tulev and Helena Tulve. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communications from the University of Tartu.