Gustav Ernesaks (12 December 1908 in Peningi, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire - 24 January 1993 in Tallinn, Estonia) was an Estonian composer and a choir conductor.
He played an integral role in the Singing Revolution and was one of the father figures of the Estonian Song Festival tradition; one of his songs, set to Lydia Koidula's poem Mu isamaa on minu arm, became an unofficial national anthem during the years of Soviet occupation; ironically, he was also the composer of the Anthem of Estonian SSR used between 1945 and 1990.
A statue of him was erected in 2004 on the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds.