Tallinn Music Week, a major music event held in the Estonian capital from 3 to 6 April, featured a global line-up of over 200 performers from 36 countries and welcomed a significant audience of more than 18,000. Andrea Forlani captured some of the key moments for Estonian World.
Spring made us wait this year, but luckily, Tallinn Music Week arrived right on time – perhaps in an edition even more captivating than usual, spread across the golden triangle of Telliskivi, Kopli and Kalamaja.
It was impossible to take in everything; choosing one concert meant missing at least half a dozen others scheduled at the same time. We were thrilled by the Taiwan Music Flight showcase, felt at home at the Viljandi Folk Music Festival stage, danced, jumped, were moved – and above all, had a lot of fun.
Opening the TMW conference at the Nordic Hotel Forum on 4 April was the former President of Estonia (2016–2021) and current President of the Estonian Olympic Committee, Kersti Kaljulaid, who said: “It’s extremely important that we do not shy away from the challenges we face as a society. Culture does not shy away from such challenges; it is a tool that helps us in Estonia, Northeast NATO, Ukraine, Taiwan, Canada and Denmark.”
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Estonia, Maksim Kononenko, underscored the crucial role of culture in their resistance, stating: “Culture and art are the bedrock of freedom, our indomitable spirit, and potent weapons against apathy. Ukrainian musicians aren’t just surviving this war; they’re creating. In doing so, they’re defending something much bigger than themselves – their culture, their voice, their future.”
