Estonishing Estonia

In the Viljandi Castle Hills lies the newly renovated old storehouse where the Estonian Traditional Music Centre (ETMC)is based. The aim of ETMC is to promote traditional music in and outside Estonia. ETMC also organises the annual Viljandi Folk Music Festival. Set at 150 km from Tallinn, Estonia’s cultural capital has a long history of old traditions and music. It is also home to the Viljandi Culture Academy Traditional Music Department which was founded in 1991. The Viljandi Folk Music Festival and Estonian Traditional Music Center were initiated by the first class students of this academy.

Fifteen artistic directors of the EFWMF network gathered for the annual member meeting during the Harvest Fest organised at the halls of ETCM. The program varied from folk song arrangements by Latvia’s postfolk leader ILGI to Ro:Toro, Estonian public’s bagpipe-favourites. Svjata Vatra, with Ukrainian frontman Ruslan Trochynskyi (Haydamaky), is by far the most energetic band on the stage. Alexey Archipovskiy the most eccentric. This balalaika-specialist merges several genres into an eclectic set showering everyone with emotions, for better or worse.

For the shoe-shuffling aficionados Estonia’s brilliant fusion group Paabel does the trick. Dancing in group is alive and kicking!!

And there is more to enjoy in Estonia. The country is filled with beautiful forests and natural parks of which Soomaa Natural Park is one of the youngest and largest in the country. The territory is covered with large mires, dunes, paludified forests and flood plain grasslands. 
On our excursion a fairy godmother welcomed us after a two hour walk with local delicacies and cranberry juices.

And in the evenings we cut loose in the local sauna with vodka and felt truly ‘estonishing’ when we jumped in the fresh forest lake.

EFWMF’s travelling member meetings are intended to offer insights in local cultures and establish contacts between festivals organisers and the host country’s’ music communities. Thanks to the efforts of ETMC the member meeting in Estonia provided plenty of both.