As part of the country’s centennial celebrations, the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds will be hosting a singing event on 19 August where cherished Estonian songs will be sung simultaneously in Estonia and all over the world.
“Singing together is in our blood. It’s something that we draw spiritual strength and a grounding of the soul from. It is expressly for this reason that the sing-along in honour of the centenary is going to be global and anyone from anywhere in the world can take part,” Margus Kasterpalu, a member of the state-run Estonia 100 celebration programme, said in a statement.
The sing-along will be broadcast live by the Estonian Public Broadcasting and can be viewed anywhere in the world.
Celebrating freedom
The repertoire for the singing event was put together by the conductor Tõnu Kaljuste and includes 26 Estonian songs that have been given new arrangements by renowned composers.
“In the years leading up to [Estonia’s] reindependence [in 1991], we slowly began singing songs that were forbidden during the Soviet period. Slowly those songs became a natural part of our lives again and singing ‘Eesti Lipp’ (the Estonian Flag) we no longer disowned the flag or our song. During our centenary year we will once again do something extraordinary, but this time to celebrate our freedom,” Tõnu Kaljuste said in a statement. “During the sing-along, we will sing as one nation for 100 minutes straight – from patriotic songs to dance songs, children’s songs to love songs. Let’s be friends and sing together as one people for 100 minutes in honour of the Estonian language and spirit!”
The Estonia 100 global sing-along will consist of two parts. The first half, entitled “The Power of Song”, will consist of singing, led by lead singers, for 100 minutes. The lead singers are Jaan Tätte, Evelin Võigemast, Eeva Talsi, Lauri Õunapuu, Priit Võigemast, Maria Listra, Hele Kõrve, Jan Uuspõld, Mait Malmsten, Marta Laan, Liina Vahtrik, Riina Maidre, Jaan Pehk, Jarek Kasar, Tiit Kikas, Arno Tamm, Kihnu Virve, Andero Ermel, Kadri Voorand and Estonian Voices.
The first part will be followed by “The Buzz of the Century,” where everyone can sing along with many Estonian bands.
The event will begin at 7 PM EEDT time (5 PM BST/12 PM EDT).
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Cover: The Estonian Youth Song and Dance Celebration in 2017 (the image is illustrative/photo by Raigo Pajula).
