Erle Kont-Vilson - Conductor and clarinettist

About

Estonian conductor Erle Kont-Vilson is known for her powerful performances, warm communication style and innovative concert ideas. She is one of the most sought-after guest conductors in Finland and a Verbier Festival Conducting Fellow 2025. Her upcoming engagements include debuts with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra at their Finnish Independence Day concert and Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra in a programme of Kont-Vilson, Pärt, Eller and Bartok, as well as a re-invitation to work with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. With re-invitations Kont-Vilson has guest conducted the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Joensuu City Orchestra and she has conducted the Jyväskylä Sinfonia, Seinäjoki City Orchestra and Pori Sinfonietta. During masterclasses she has conducted the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Basel Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias and others.

Erle holds two Master's degrees from the Sibelius Academy as a symphony orchestra conductor (studying under Sakari Oramo) and clarinettist (Kari Kriikku and Harri Mäki). She has also studied wind orchestra conducting with Petri Komulainen and choral conducting with Nils Schweckendiek at the Sibelius Academy. Kont-Vilson has been mentored by Johannes Schlaefli, Paavo Järvi, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jorma Panula, Nicolas Pasquet, Eva Ollikainen, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Dalia Stasevska among others.

Kont-Vilson is the founder and Artistic Director of the contemporary music organization Tartu Sound (established in 2017), which commissions and performs works by Estonian composers at the start of their careers. It is a community driven organization that brings together new music lovers, composers and instrumentalists in Tartu region, Estonia. It works with musicians of the highest calibre, including Ensemble intercontemporain.

Kont-Vilson is also the Artistic Director of the innovative concert series Fantasy Concerts. Their concerts include music, light art and space installations for an immersive experience where ordinary spaces transform into magical landscapes. Their first show, The Enchanted Forest, gets its first performances in Estonia at the start of 2026 with decorations including giant mushrooms, real trees and taller than trees fantasy flowers.

As a prolific prizewinner on the clarinet, Erle Kont-Vilson has received awards in 14 competitions, including 1st prize at the international Eduard Medinš Competition (2011, Latvia), the Bohuslav Martinů and Viktor Kalabis Competitions (2015, Austria) and the Estonian National Competitions (2009, 2011). She has performed as an orchestral soloist in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Latvia, and Estonia.

Erle has studied the clarinet, piano and violin at the Sibelius Academy and classical singing with the award-winning soprano Heta Sammalisto-Muhonen.