Valle-Rasmus Roots
(b 1994) is a cellist and conductor. In 2013 he graduated from the Tallinn Music High School (class of Mart Laas) with a degree in cello and in 2020 he received a Master's degree from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. In 2022, Roots obtained a Master's degree in orchestral conducting (supervised by Prof. Paul Mägi). He is currently a doctoral candidate at EMTA under the supervision of Prof. Arvo Volmer. Roots has studied as an exchange student at the University of the Arts in Berlin with Prof. Wolfgang Böttcher and at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Prof. Marko Ylönen, and has participated in courses with eminent cellists (David Geringas, Wolfgang Boettcher, Marko Ylönen, Francis Gouton, etc.) and conductors (Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Kristjan Järvi, Leonid Grin, Arvo Volmer, Vello Pähn, Jorma Panula). He has been awarded 1st prize at the Baltic String Players Competition in Vilnius (2018) and won the Yamaha Scholarship Competition (2016).

Sweden has conducted several orchestras, he is the founder and conductor of Orchestra Helikunst and has collaborated with such soloists as Marcel Johannes Kits, Katariina Maria Kits, Sten Lassmann, Karis Trass, Hans Christian Aavik, Tähe-Lee Liiv, Elina Netšajeva and others. As a cellist, he has performed as soloist with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Pärnu City Orchestra, Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra, EMTA Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jüri Alperten, Arvo Volmer, Paul Mägi, Risto Joost, Mikk Murdvee, Kaspar Mänd and others. Roots plays the Celeste Farotti cello (owned by Mrs Maivi Kaljuvee), which has been made available to him by the Estonian Pillifond.