Tonu Kalam, born of Estonian parents, was trained as a conductor, pianist and composer at Harvard University, the University of California at Berkeley, and the Curtis Institute of Music. His summer credits include fellowships at Tanglewood and Aspen as well as many years at the Marlboro Music Festival. A prizewinner in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Young Conductor’s Competition, he has guest conducted orchestras across the United States and Europe and he has also led over 135 opera performances.

He has been a faculty member at the University of Illinois and for thirteen years was an administrator and artist-faculty member at the renowned Kneisel Hall summer chamber music festival in Blue Hill, Maine. Presently he is a Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, serving as Music Director and Conductor of the UNC Symphony Orchestra. Since 1988 Mr. Kalam has concurrently held the position of Music Director and Conductor of the Longview Symphony Orchestra in Texas. In addition to his conducting activities, he performs regularly as a pianist and chamber musician and he is also Past President of the Conductors Guild, an international service organization devoted to serving the artistic and professional needs of conductors.