13th Youth Song Celebration

13th Youth Song and Dance Celebration “Holy is the Land”

Artistic director Pärt Uusberg says the following about the programme of the 13th Youth Song Celebration:

“The 13th Youth Song Celebration is inspired by the poem written by Hando Runnel titled ‘Let There Be Light! (Valgust!)’ which, on the one hand, is like an ode to the beautiful nature of Estonia, and on the other, asks these important questions: what is light in the spiritual sense; who is the One who enables the sun to shine? It is interesting to think about the poem’s meanings. I hope that the lyrics in the programme will become inspiring journeys in the beautiful sound fields of the Estonian language.

It is also possible to view the name of the Song Celebration – Holy Is the Land – as a statement of values. Such a perspective on life impacts even the smallest step we take, increasing the care and attention we devote to everything around us. Look at the sky in the evening in the direction of the Milky Way – we are surrounded by infinity, imperceptible space; an eternal space in which we have the honour and pleasure of completing our temporal journey. Life is filled with phenomena more eternal than we are. And one of them is music.

If the world is sacred, then I believe that one of the most beautiful expressions is the sanctity of sound. I hope that the journey to the Youth Song Celebration will provide an opportunity to take some time off in this ever-accelerating world and, through the beauty of the Estonian language and music, to breathe in lovely thoughts about being human and being Estonian, and the extraordinary nature here in Estonia.”

How can I participate in the Song Celebration?

The 13th Youth Song Celebration will take place on 2 July 2023.

The Song Celebration concert will take place at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. The approximate length of the concert will be six hours or more. The performers will include young children’s choirs, children’s choirs, boys’ choirs, mixed choirs, girls’ choirs, male youth choirs, wind orchestras and symphony orchestras. The concert will begin and end with performances by the combined choir. The programme includes works by Estonian composers through the ages.

The concert will be preceded by the ceremonial procession of the participants through the centre of Tallinn. The procession can be watched along the five-kilometre route for free.

We recommend using public transport or cycling to get to the Song Festival Grounds. Before, during and after the Song Celebration, extensive traffic restrictions will be imposed near the Song Festival Grounds and parking spaces will be reserved for performers.

When coming to the Song Celebration, plan for lots of extra time, because about 100,000 people will be gathering at the Song Festival Grounds in only a short time. And this means that congestion and queues are inevitable. Please also note that for security reasons, dangerous and fragile objects, including glass containers, will not be allowed into the grounds. The use of umbrellas inside the grounds is also prohibited, as they obscure the view of the stage by other concert attendees.

Tickets and accommodation during the Youth Song and Dance Celebration

On the weekend of the 13th Youth Song and Dance Celebration, in addition to the choral performance, the following will also take place: The Dance Celebration (3 performances, with tickets), the Folk Music Celebration (free) and the large ceremonial procession of all the participants, which can also be watched for free.

Pre-sales of the tickets for the 13th Youth Song and Dance Celebration will start in January 2023. We recommend that you buy your tickets and book your accommodation in Tallinn as early as possible, as tickets may sell out and, during the weekend of the Song and Dance Celebration, accommodation in Tallinn is usually booked out a long time in advance.

Further information: [email protected]