Kopli Kinokompanii
Kopli Kinokompanii

A Documentary About Pianist and Teacher Helju Taug Arrives in Cinemas

Kopli Kinokompanii

A new documentary "Elu õpetaja" ("The Teacher of Life") arrives in cinemas, dedicated to pianist and educator Helju Tauk, whose 95th birth anniversary is marked on March 29. Directed by Annika Koppel, the film paints a portrait of a remarkable pianist and unforgettable teacher, offering a compelling glimpse into an era of Estonian cultural and musical history.

 

Helju Tauk (29.03.1930 – 04.06.2005) was a multifaceted and vibrant figure — a pianist, pedagogue, musicologist, advocate for music, and one of the founders of the Tallinn Music High School. She was also a dissident whose home became a gathering place for nationally minded intellectuals. Tauk shared not only musical knowledge but also broader cultural and life wisdom with her students. She suffered under KGB repression, including a ban on teaching and performing, yet courageously continued her mission, contributing to the founding of the Estonian National Independence Party.

 

Her greatest legacy was as a teacher at the music high school and conservatory, as well as a promoter of music and a high-level chamber musician. Tauk gave over 800 lecture-concerts in Estonian schools and institutions, performed in various chamber ensembles for decades, appeared in hundreds of radio and television programs, and published numerous articles. She inspired generations of students who remain active today — both in music and other fields.

 

In the film, her friends and students share their memories, including Tõnis Arro, Ivari Ilja, Tunne Kelam, Madis Kolk, Kersti Kreismann, Tiina Mattisen, Arne Mikk, Lagle Parek, Tiiu Peäske, Mihkel Poll, Rein Rannap, Jüri Reinvere, and Raili Sule.

 

Director Annika Koppel says: "This film was born thanks to Helju’s students and friends who hold her memory dear and continue to carry her teachings forward. Through conversations with them, I understood the extraordinary nature of Helju Tauk as a person and teacher. I became convinced that her story had to be told. What fascinated me was how her presence still resonates with people even decades after her passing, especially now on her 95th anniversary. I tried to understand how she managed to influence so many lives."

 

The film premieres on March 29 at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre's Grand Hall, preceded by a performance by Helju Tauk Foundation scholarship recipients Madleen Kristen Alasi (violin), Aleksander Sebastian Lattikas (cello), and Kaisa-Helena Žigurs (harp). A panel discussion will follow featuring Rein Einasto, Tunne Kelam, Mihkel Mattisen, Jüri Plink, Toomas Velmet, and Ene Üleoja, moderated by Toomas Siitan.

 

The premiere is organized by the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in collaboration with Kopli Kinokompanii and the Helju Tauk Subfund of the Estonian National Culture Foundation.

A Documentary About Pianist and Teacher Helju Taug Arrives in Cinemas

Kopli Kinokompanii

A new documentary "Elu õpetaja" ("The Teacher of Life") arrives in cinemas, dedicated to pianist and educator Helju Tauk, whose 95th birth anniversary is marked on March 29. Directed by Annika Koppel, the film paints a portrait of a remarkable pianist and unforgettable teacher, offering a compelling glimpse into an era of Estonian cultural and musical history.

 

Helju Tauk (29.03.1930 – 04.06.2005) was a multifaceted and vibrant figure — a pianist, pedagogue, musicologist, advocate for music, and one of the founders of the Tallinn Music High School. She was also a dissident whose home became a gathering place for nationally minded intellectuals. Tauk shared not only musical knowledge but also broader cultural and life wisdom with her students. She suffered under KGB repression, including a ban on teaching and performing, yet courageously continued her mission, contributing to the founding of the Estonian National Independence Party.

 

Her greatest legacy was as a teacher at the music high school and conservatory, as well as a promoter of music and a high-level chamber musician. Tauk gave over 800 lecture-concerts in Estonian schools and institutions, performed in various chamber ensembles for decades, appeared in hundreds of radio and television programs, and published numerous articles. She inspired generations of students who remain active today — both in music and other fields.

 

In the film, her friends and students share their memories, including Tõnis Arro, Ivari Ilja, Tunne Kelam, Madis Kolk, Kersti Kreismann, Tiina Mattisen, Arne Mikk, Lagle Parek, Tiiu Peäske, Mihkel Poll, Rein Rannap, Jüri Reinvere, and Raili Sule.

 

Director Annika Koppel says: "This film was born thanks to Helju’s students and friends who hold her memory dear and continue to carry her teachings forward. Through conversations with them, I understood the extraordinary nature of Helju Tauk as a person and teacher. I became convinced that her story had to be told. What fascinated me was how her presence still resonates with people even decades after her passing, especially now on her 95th anniversary. I tried to understand how she managed to influence so many lives."

 

The film premieres on March 29 at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre's Grand Hall, preceded by a performance by Helju Tauk Foundation scholarship recipients Madleen Kristen Alasi (violin), Aleksander Sebastian Lattikas (cello), and Kaisa-Helena Žigurs (harp). A panel discussion will follow featuring Rein Einasto, Tunne Kelam, Mihkel Mattisen, Jüri Plink, Toomas Velmet, and Ene Üleoja, moderated by Toomas Siitan.

 

The premiere is organized by the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in collaboration with Kopli Kinokompanii and the Helju Tauk Subfund of the Estonian National Culture Foundation.