Estonian Traditional Music Center
XV Viljandi Folk Music Festival, July 26-29, 2007
Kui mina akkan laulemaie,
Pisut sõnu pildumaie,
Laulan ma mere mäeksa,
Mere kivid killingiksa,
Mere põhja põrandaksa.
Küll on laulu, kui ma lasen,
Küll viisi, kui veeretan,
Ega ei kustu kuke haani,
Puudu ei poole päevani.
Ennem lõppegu lõhmussed,
Ennem kadakad kadugu,
Ennem vaherjad vajugu,
Kui minu eali lõpenessa,
Ega minu viisi vähenessa.
(Muhu)
This year’s festival main theme is REGISONG (regilaul).
By its musical and metric characteristic, Estonian song regilaul can be considered a Non-Western folk song (or at
least as atypical Western folk song).
Regilaul is an old Estonian folk song style, belonging to the ancient Balto-Finnic runo song (or runic song; Finnish
runo ’poem’ < ’singer, seer’) tradition.
Runo song is defined by its poetic structure as a folk song, where the main
features are parallelism, alliterative rhymes, specific metre and certain traditional subjects and formulas.
Presumably, runo song tradition emerged 2–2,5 000 years ago and it was carried on by oral tradition up to the 19th century, in some outlying districts up to now.
The traditional way of singing was a continuous process with turns for a leader and the chorus: one person sings a verse, the others join at the last syllables and repeat the verse,
then the leader sings again, etc. (About regilaul: Lippus 1995; Ross, Lehiste 2001; Särg 2005).
Viljandi Festival annual traditions of focusing on different instruments or other phenomena of traditional music are continued this summer through workshops
and exhibitions dealing with singing styles and their history. Most of the best Estonian musicians gather to play, and sing and play together at concerts and spontaneous jam-sessions.
It will be four days and nights where one can enjoy the best traditional music, atmosphere and the happiest bunch of people in the world!
- More than 400 performers, 80 from outside Estonia
- More than a hundred concerts in Viljandi and Viljandi County
- Five inside concert venues and five open-air stages in the town
- Workshops, Tormis’ Regi-Rooms, Handicraft Yard, Fairy-tale Chamber and Instrument Fair
- Free program during the Festival on Green Stage
- A week before the Festival there is the traditional musicians youth camp Estonian ETNO and ETNO+ (participants are welcome!)
- Festival is free of charge for children up to 12 years of age (incl.)
Technical Details About Realvideo Transmissions
Transmissions are performed by Audiovisuaalne Meedia NGO with the help of CarlNet Ltd. and TU Viljandi Culture Academy. This year, too, we are planning to have simultaneous transmissions of several concerts.
In order to see the transmission your computer must have at minimum Realplayer One. It is, however, advisable to install the free-ware version of Realplayer 10. Information on adjusting the program can be found at http://nadal.viljandi.ee/?html=nvtv (in Estonian, with screen-shot instructions).
Contact: Karl Õmblus karl@carlnet.ee
Previous Festivals
Viljandi Folk Music Festival 2006
Viljandi Folk Music Festival 2005
Viljandi Folk Music Festival 2004
Viljandi Folk Music Festival 2003
Viljandi Folk Music Festival 2002
Forum
Stages and Festival Venues
See also town map.
- Open-air concerts: Kirsimägi, Kaevumägi, Kultrahoov (Culture House Yard), Tent and Green Stage.
- Inside Concerts: Suur Tuba (Black Box), the theatre Ugala, Jaani Church, St. Paul’s Church and the Puppet Theatre.
- You are most welcome at our Workshops, Fairy-tale Chamber, Handicraft Yard and Exhibition.
- In addition there are concerts all over Viljandi County.
- A week before the big event there is the Folk Music Study Camp - Estonian ETNO in Viljandi county.
- Green Stage is located at Viljandi Singing Ground.
Attention!
- After each concert we kindly ask the audience to leave the concert ground
- You are not allowed to the concert area with drinks in glass containers, with weapons, fireworks or any other pyrotechnic or otherwise dangerous appliances and/or substances
- You are not allowed to bring along your own alcoholic drinks to the concert area
- It is forbidden to climb on the walls in the Castle Ruins
- It is forbidden to take along your pets to public events
Team
| Ando Kiviberg | Chief | ando@folk.ee | +372 52 40 069 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liina Härm | Assistant Manager | liina@folk.ee | +372 51 87 580 |
| Tarmo Noormaa | Program Manager | noormaa@folk.ee | +372 50 87 759 |
| Ülle Jantson | Educational Program | ylle@folk.ee | +372 51 63 133 |
| Liina Gross | Foreign Affairs | gross@folk.ee | +372 51 25 592 |
| Kaija-Liisa Tarand | ETNO Camps | kaija-liisa@folk.ee | +372 56 352 152 |
| Hillar Sein | Technical Manager | hillar@folk.ee | +372 52 10 299 |
| Epp Alatalu | The Barn Project (Aita Aita) | epp@folk.ee | +372 51 21 721 |
| Tiit Jürmann | Sales Manager | tiit@folk.ee | +372 50 63 760 |
| Kristi Saarsalu | Accommodation & Catering | kristi@folk.ee | +372 56 989 734 |
| Pille Kährik | Ticket Sales Manager | pille@folk.ee | +372 52 88 256 |
| Pille Kirsimäe | Accountant | amanda@folk.ee | +372 51 06 754 |
| Aari Juhanson | Translations | aari@folk.ee | +372 56 900 800 |
| Allan Kändmaa | Codeman | allan@folk.ee | +372 53 985 666 |
| Tauno Uibo | Webpage, IT | tauno@folk.ee | +372 51 11 049 |
| Urmas Volmer | Printed Matter, Photos | urmas@folk.ee | +372 50 63 362 |
| Erki Prisk | Security Administration | erki@folk.ee | +372 51 66 306 |
| Kristel Peikel | Press Assistant | kristel@folk.ee | +372 51 56 329 |
