Tartu Song Festival will take place on 13 June 2009 at the Song Festival Ground.

It is a Jubilee to be celebrated grandly: 140 years ago the first Estonian song festival took place in Tartu. The festival is expected to gather over 7 000 singers, dancers and wind band players. In addition to the groups from Tartu and Tartu County, participants will come from all over Estonia. For the first time in Estonian song festival history the kindergarten toddlers will join the festival as participants!

 

The repertoire includes both well known pieces and some that have not been heard at song festivals before. Half of the 41 songs differ from the repertoire of the Song Celebration in Tallinn. The patron of the song festival is Andrus Ansip, the Prime Minister of Estonia.

 

The keywords to characterize Tartu Song Festival are holding on to traditions and the bond between generations, but also innovation and looking forward. Tartu Song Festival should be a symbol of Tartu that expresses the will to bind the past and the future. It has to create unforgettable moments to pass on to future generations.

 

Before the festival, an exhibition about the history of song festivals in Tartu area will open in Tartu Song Festival Museum on 11 June. Various concerts will take place during the entire festival week all over Tartu and the song festival concert will be followed by an Estonian village style dance party at the Town Square.

 

Many events will take place during the Song Festival week. Be sure to check the updated information here!

 

These events include:

 

11. June at 16:00 – opening of the exhibition of Tartu song festivals history in Tartu Song Festival Museum
(Jaama 14)

 

12 June at 12:15 – a musical quarter in St. John’s Church – children’s choir Maarjalill of Tartu Karlova Gymnasium, conductor Ave-Maria Sild  ( Jaani 5)

 

12 June at 17:30 – concert of boys’ choirs in Tartu University Assembly Hall – The Estonian National Opera Boys’ Choir, conductor Hirvo Surva, concertmaster Andres Lemba and Tartu Boys’ Choir, conductors Undel Kokk and Annelii Traks, concertmaster Katrin Nuume (Ülikooli 18)

 

12 June at 19:00 – concert of Vanemuine Theatre Symphony Orchestra, conductor Lauri Sirp and selected choirs from Tartu in Tartu St. Mary’s Church (Pepleri 1).