Arsis School Administration

Aivar Mäe: Headmaster

Aivar Mäe is the founder of the Arsis Handbell School as well as the artistic director and conductor of the Arsis concert ensembles.

He acquired his musical education at Tallinn Music High School and Estonian Academy of Music. In 1992, Aivar Mäe studied in the USA improving his knowledge at the music department of Portland University with Prof Bruce Brown. He has been working with several choirs in Estonia as well as abroad. He has been the leader of international choir festivals, also running seminars for choral music and handbell music in USA and Finland. Since 2000, he has been working as the general manager of Eesti Kontsert, the National Concert Institute of Estonia, from 2003 until 2006 he was also the general manager of Theatre Vanemuine in Tartu City. Since 2007, he is also the chairman of the “Russian Theatre” foundation in Tallinn

Tiina Kodumäe: Deputy Headmistress in Tallinn

Tiina’s music education started with piano lessons in the former Tallinn Secondary School No. 22, followed by studies at the G. Ots Music School. Although Tiina has played various instruments (accordion in a folk group, mandolin and guitar in the music group called Irma and nowadays handbells in the Arsis ensemble), her passion is singing. She has received excellent training as a choir singer in girls’ choir Ellerhein, conducted by Heino Kaljuste, in the Mainor Chamber Choir, led by Olari Elts, and in the Arsis Chamber Choir, conducted by Aivar Mäe. Tiina has worked as the Deputy Headmistress of the Arsis Handbell School since its foundation. Besides responsibilities in the Handbell School, she also serves as the Manager of the Arsis concert ensembles. In 2006 Tiina graduted from the Estonian Business School studying International Business Administration.

Viive Nuggis: Deputy Headmistress in Tartu

Viive graduated from the University of Tartu in 2006 as a linguist. Her speciality is the Estonian language and literature. She has worked as a teacher in Vara Basic School and since February 2007 for the Arsis Handbell School in Tartu. She is interested in different linguistic problems: languages, dialects and translating, texts and their meta-texts. Translating literature is her hobby and leisure passion. Her first ordeal as a novice translator was a crime novel by Ann Granger, ‘Say It With Poison’. The second trial was another crime novel by the same author, ‘Where Old Bones Lie”. Viive is currently at work on Ann Granger’s next novel ‘A Fine Place for Death’. As a person, she is cheerful and kind and absolutely unpractical.

Greta Roosaar: Assistant in Tallinn

Greta is an alumna of our school. She was among the first students graduated from the Handbell School in 2003. The same year a competition to play in a concert ensemble took place and as a result she became a member of Arsis Youth Ensemble. Greta started her education in Tallinn Pääsküla Gymnasium and in high school continued her studies in Tallinn Secondary Science School. The interest for the science subjects was outweighed by her passion for theatre and literature, so after graduating from high school, she went on to Tallinn University, where she studies in the cultural theory department. Besides going to school she is a member of university theatre, takes dancing and singing lessons and reads as much as possible. Greta has also worked as a secretary in Eesti Kontsert.