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About me
Martin Karu is an Estonian countertenor who started his opera singing lessons at the Georg Ots Tallinn Music College in 2015. His first teachers were countertenor and conductor Risto Joost and soprano Eha Pärg. In 2020, Karu started his Bachelor's studies at the Guildhall School Of Music and Drama with countertenor Andrew Watts in London.
Mr. Karu is mainly concentrated on Renaissance and Baroque music but you can find some romance-, contemporary- and Estonian folk songs from his repertoire. For example, English madrigals, Baroque operas and oratorios by G. F. Handel or J. S. Bach. In addition, songs by Estonian composers A. Pärt and C. Kreek.
Karu`s debut performance took place in 2018 at the Viljandi Early Music Festival with viola da gamba consort väikerinG. After that, he had many performances around the country. One of the most important of them was the solo role in G. F. Handel oratorio “Messiah” which took place at the end of the year 2018 in Tallinn and Tartu. In 2018 and 2019, Karu performed his first cantatas at the Early Music Festival Tallinn feat Reval. In 2020, Karu performed at the Mustonenfest with the viola da gamba consort väikerinG. Moreover, he has performed with Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and early music ensemble Floridante. Martin has also been active in chamber choir Voces Tallinn projects. For example, he has sang G. F. Handel's oratorios “Messiah” and “Jephta”, L. van. Beethoven's Symphony No 9, C. Kreek “Requiem” and T. L. de Victoria “Requiem”.
Currently residing in London.
With Telemann`s cantata „Wandelt in der Liebe“, his expressive phrasing and vocal dramatism attracted the attention.
