Source: Alari Teede, Visit Estonia
Choral music is deeply intertwined with Estonian culture and history. In fact, the largest national event is the Song and Dance Celebration, which draws crowds of over 100,000 people. It’s held every five years with the next taking place in summer 2019. Bob Chilcott is an international choral music expert and came to make music the #EstonianWay with the Estonian Television Girls’ Choir conducted by Aarne Saluveer.
Bob attended the Europa Cantat singing festival at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, which can be visited year-round. Then a tour of North Estonian nature kicked off at Viru Bog, followed by a visit and dip at Jägala Waterfall. The day concluded with a sunset at Türisalu Klint, a limestone cliff overlooking the Baltic Sea.
Bob Chilcott is a British choral composer, conductor and singer who has worked with musicians and choirs in over 30 countries. His piece Can you hear me? was performed by 7,000 singers at the Estonian Song Festival in 2004. Bob says he loves hearing Estonian choral music because, ‘It has a sound all of its own’.