Kaspar Mänd, recognized as one of Estonia’s most dynamic and versatile conductors, has established a reputation in both symphonic and operatic realms.

In 2024, Kaspar Mänd embarks on a thrilling musical journey with the establishment of Ludensemble. This group, founded to collaborate across various art forms, will primarly focus on commissioning, performing and recording new works. The debut concerts on February 1st and 4th, 2024, feature a premiere by jazz pianist and composer Kirke Karja (*1989) alongside Arnold Schönberg’s “Pierrot lunaire”.

Previously, from 2019 to 2023, Mänd served as the chief conductor of Pärnu City Orchestra, earning the Estonian Cultural Endowment award in 2021 for commissioning and premiering numerous orchestral works. He’s been a resident conductor at the Estonian National Opera since 2014, overseeing approximately 50 productions.

Starting as a choral conductor, Mänd founded the mixed choir HUIK! in 2009, earning recognition for performing new music by young Estonian composers, as well as excelling in competitions home and abroad. He was named “Young Conductor of the Year” by the Estonian Choral Association twice (2013 and 2015) and conducted at the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration in 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2022.

In 2016 he founded the New Street Orchestra (Uue Tänava Orkester), leading them in performances of the complete cycles of symphonies by Beethoven and Mendelssohn. Since 2014 Kaspar Mänd has been resident conductor at the Estonian National Opera. He has conducted around 50 different productions, including the world premiere of "A Nation born of Shock” by Manfred MIM, and premieres of Ullmann’s “The Emperor of Atlantis”, Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet”,Tchaikovsky/Schiavoni “Alice in Wonderland” Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker”, Lehar’s “The Merry Widow” and others. His repertoire includes Wagner’s “Lohengrin”, Debussy “Pelléas et Mélisande”, Ravel “L’enfant et les Sortileges”, Verdi’s “La traviata”, “Il trovatore”, “Giovanna d’Arco”,

“Elisir d’amore”, “Don Pasquale” by Donizetti, “The Tsars Bride” by Rimsky-Korsakov, “Romeo and Juliet” by Gounod, “The long Christmas Dinner” by Hindemith, “The Colours of Clouds” by Rasmus Puur, the musical “West Side Story” by Bernstein and ballets “Swan Lake”, “The Sleeping Beauty” by Tchaikovsky, “Giselle”, “Le Corsaire” by Adam, “Medea” by Stravinski/Schiavoni, “The Goblin” by Tubin and others.

Kaspar Mänd has a special relationship with contemporary music and composers- he has collaborated with Erkki-Sven Tüür, Helena Tulve, Jüri Reinvere, Tatjana Kozlova, Tõnu Kõrvits, Ülo Krigul, Evelin Seppar, Rasmus Puur, Pärt Uusberg, Thierry Escaich, David Fennessy, Ruta Paldere and others. In May 2019 he conducted the final concert of ISCM World Music Days. His guest engagements have included orchestras and ensembles such as Ensemble Orchestral Kanazawa, Mskolc Symphony Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Irish National Opera Orchestra, Kaunas Symphony Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra, YXUS Ensemble and others.

Kaspar Mänd studied oboe, choral and orchestral conducting at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (prof. Hirvo Surva and prof. Paul Mägi) and received further training at the Paris Conservatory (CNSMDP, prof. Zsolt Nagy). He has participated in masterclasses by Neeme and Paavo Järvi, Leonid Grin, Eri Klas and Risto Joost.

Between 2018-2022 Kaspar was a lecturer at the conducting department of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.