6-7 July Estonian Song Celebration
Collegium Musicale will participate in Estonian Song Celebration on July 6-7, 2019. This year we celebrate 150 anniversary of the first Estonian Song Celebration. Also, our conductor Endrik Üksvärav will step up to the conductor’s podium. By him will be conducted: Karl August Hermann, arr. Raimo Kangro, Kristo Matson “I Sing Leaves onto Trees” from the opera Uku and Vanemuine (male choir, female choir, mixed choir, children’s choir).
Concerts of the Song Celebration:
- 1st concert „To the Teacher“ on Saturday, 6 July from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- 2nd concert Sunday, 7 July from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Song Celebration tradition began with the first Song Celebration organized by Johann Voldemar Jannsen and the “Vanemuine” society in Tartu on 18–20 June 1869. 51 male choirs and brass bands encompassing 845 singers and musicians gathered in Tartu. With a few exceptions, the number of singers has been growing gradually, reaching 30,000 singers in 2014.
The venue of the Song Celebration is the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds (Tallinna Lauluväljak). The Song Festival Grounds fit up to 100,000 people. The performers sing under an arch, that carries sound evenly over the whole spectator area. The Song Festival Grounds have hosted the celebration since 1960 and was the place, where the “singing revolution” took place in 1988.
The motto of the 27th Song Celebration and the 20th Dance Celebration is The Land of My Fathers, the Land that I Love. It comes from a patriotic poem written by the much loved Estonian poet Lydia Koidula. The lyrics were sung at the first Song Celebration 150 years ago and they have since become the Song Celebration anthem, where the audience joins in, standing. It is an expression of our love for Estonia.
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