Тoomas Kapten is a leading Estonian conductor and professor of conducting in Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. He received his musical education from Tallinn High school of Music (conducting and composing), BMus from Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (with prof. R. Matsov and K. Areng), MMus from Rimsky-Korsakov St Petersburg State Conservatoire (with prof. A. Dmitrijev and prof. J. Kudrjavtseva).

In 1983–1987 Kapten worked as a principal conductor of “Vanemuine” Theatre (Tartu, Estonia), and in 1987–1995 — as a principal conductor of Estonian Radio Choir.

Since 1991 Kapten has been artistic director of oratorio music projects in South Karelia (Finland); artistic director and leading conductor of chamber choir “Cantus Saimaa” and South Karelian “Classical Choir” (Finland). Since 1996 he has performed as a leading guest conductor of Bergslagens Kammarsymfoniker and Orkestern Filialen Stockholm.

In 1987–1994 Toomas Kapten was a teacher of conducting and principal conductor of the Opera Studio of Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT), and since 2004 — a professor and Head of the Conducting Department of EAMT.

Kapten is the founder of the Symphony Orchestra of Tallinn High school of Music and “Sinfonietta” Orchestra of Tallinn Youth Philharmonics.

Since 1988 he has held master classes in various music academies: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Strasbourg, Bremen, Prague, Hannover.

Toomas Kapten has been a regular jury member of various international conducting competitions in Porto, Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn.