Participants
REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN GROUPS AND THE CONDITIONS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE XIII YOUTH SONG AND DANCE CELEBRATION “Holy is the Land”
The first nationwide song festival in Estonia took place in 1869 and today, the song festival tradition has lasted for more than 150 years. During this time, Estonia became a free state, lost its freedom for half a century during the whirlwind of World War II, and regained its independence in 1991. However, the song and dance festivals have basically remained unchanged and, along with the music and dance, have maintained the faith in the continuation of Estonia and the love for the Estonian language and mindset.
Today, in Estonia, the national song festivals take place four times each decade – with the general song festivals and youth song festivals alternating. Each time, almost 25,000 performers and tens of thousands of spectators gather in Tallinn at the beginning of July. Not everyone can perform at a song festival – for this, you must learn the repertoire of the specific type of song festival based on the category one belongs to. The important events of the song festival are the procession of the performers from the centre of Tallinn to the Song Festival Grounds (approx. 5 km), the opening and closing ceremonies and a concert lasting about 6 hours. All this is preceded by large rehearsals at the Song Festival Grounds. This means that participating in a song festival requires a great deal of mental and physical effort from each performer, which is repaid 1,000 times as the festival offers participants a unique experience that will never be forgotten.
From 30 June to 2 July 2023, the 13th Youth Song and Dance Celebration “Holy is the Land” will take place in Tallinn, in which groups that are active outside Estonia can also take part. “Holy is the Land”, the motto of the event, draws attention to the need to preserve and value the Estonian language so that it does not dissipate into other languages in today’s connected world. We are also called upon to learn about and preserve the traditions inherited from our ancestors, as well as to learn to live in a way that leaves the smallest possible ecological footprint on our planet.
The repertoire of the Song Celebration
Songs performed by the young children’s choirs:
Rõõm on täitnud maa Martin J. Sildos / Hanna Grete Rebane
Hümn päikesele Tõnis Kõrvits / Priit Aimla
Me lähme rukist lõikama Riho Esko Maimets, Estonian folk tune / Friedrich Kuhlbars, Leelo Tungal, Estonian folk tune
Kodulaul Ülo Vinter
Songs performed by the children’s choirs:
Tõeline jõud Olav Ehala / Juhan Viiding
Kodu Karin Kuulpak / Ernst Enno
Sata-sata! Mari Kalkun, arranged by Rasmus Puur
Nüüd hingvad inimesed religious folk song Ridalast, arranged by Cyrillus Kreek
Songs performed by the boys´ and mixed boys´ choirs:
Loome elu ilusa Rasmus Puur / Veiko Tubin
Üle Maarjamaa Triin Arak
Kodukeel Hans Georg Nägeli, arranged by Veljo Tormis / Ado Reinvald
Kõik on alles ees Kadri Voorand / Jaanus Vaiksoo
Las jääda ükski mets Andres Valkonen, arranged by Tõnis Kõrvits / Leelo Tungal
Songs performed by the male youth choirs:
Su põhjamaa päikese kullast Tuudur Vettik / Markus Univer
Väinämöise tarkussõnad Veljo Tormis / „Kanteletar” I: 90, translation by August Annist
Rahu Rein Rannap, arranged by Tõnu Kõrvits / Urmas Alender
Songs performed by the girls’ choirs:
Sind ma tahan armastada Sirje Kaasik / Leelo Tungal
Kiigelaulud sarjast „Eesti kalendrilaulud“
Veljo Tormis / folk poetry
- Kitsas kiik (Muhu)
- Meri kiige all (Rõngu)
- Õunapuu (Koeru)
Pühapäevasoov Tõnu Kõrvits / Doris Kareva
Mina ja meri Maili Metssalu, arranged by Tõnis Kõrvits
Songs performed by mixed choirs:
Küla kuuleb Veljo Tormis / folk poety, arranged by Ülo Tedre
Kodulaul Olav Ehala / Juhan Viiding
Vaikne lauluke Ester Mägi / Kalle Muuli
Väike eestimaine laul Erkki-Sven Tüür, arranged by Valter Soosalu / Leelo Tungal
Songs performed by the opening mixed choirs:
Koit Mihkel Lüdig / Friedrich Kuhlbars
Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm (“My Native Land, My Joy, Delight”) Fredrik Pacius / Johann Voldemar Jannsen
Valgust! Pärt Uusberg / Hando Runnel
Elu on voolamine Mariliis Valkonen / Ly Seppel-Ehin
Songs performed by closing mixed choir:
Ilus oled, isamaa! Karl August Hermann / Mihkel Veske
Legendaarne Peeter Konovalov, arranged by: Tõnu Kõrvits / Heiti Talvik
Kõige all Pärt Uusberg / Hando Runnel
Ta lendab mesipuu poole Peep Sarapik / Juhan Liiv
Mu isamaa on minu arm (“My Native Land, My Dearest Love”) Gustav Ernesaks / Lydia Koidula
Mu rõõm on lõputu Silver Sepp
Pieces for symphony orchestras:
Sümfooniline poeem „Koit“ Heino Eller
Eesti tants Harri Otsa
Tuuline eleegia Rasmus Puur
Rondo Tõnis Kaumann
Pieces for wind orchestras:
Löögi kaja Teodor Hirvoja,
Lootuse laul Pärt Uusberg
Kui mina hakkan… Tonio Tamra
Majakene mere ääres Ülo Vinter, arranged by Martin Pajumaa
Laskem elada! Riivo Jõgi
Song festival categories, membership conditions and repertoire
Foreign groups in the categories are invited to participate in the 2023 Youth Song Celebration “Holy is the Land”:
Young children’s choirs 2-voices (MUK)
The young children’s choir category is comprised of 8- to 11-year-old singers (as of 7 Feb 2023).
There must be at least 12 singers in the choir.
Repertoire for the young children’s’ choirs:
The young children’s’ choirs must learn the entire repertoire for young children’s’ choirs, or the repertoire for the young children’s’ choirs and the opening songs for the combined choirs, except for Mariliis Valkonen’s “Elu on voolamine” (a total of 8 songs) or only the repertoire of the young children’s’ choirs (a total of 5 songs).
Children’s choirs 3-voices (LAK)
The children’s choir category is comprised of 10- to 16-year-old singers (up to 10 % of the choir may be older singers).
There must be at least 12 singers in the choir.
Repertoire for the children’s choirs:
The children’s choirs must learn the entire repertoire and the combined choirs’ songs (a total of 14 songs).
Boys´ choirs 2-voices (POK)
The boys’ choir category is comprised of singers starting from the age of 8 (as of 2 July 2023) until their voices change.
There must be at least 12 singers in the choir.
The repertoire for the boys’ choirs:
The boys’ choirs must learn the repertoire for the boys choirs and the opening songs for the combined choirs, except for Mariliis Valkonen’s “Elu on voolamine” (a total of 8 songs) or only the repertoire of the boys choirs (total of 5 songs).
Mixed boys´ choirs – SATB (POSK)
The mixed boys´ choir category is comprised of singers starting from the age of 8 (as of 2 July 2023) until their voices change, as well as young men.
There must be at least 12 singers in the choir.
The repertoire for the mixed boys´ choirs:
The mixed boys´ choirs must learn the entire repertoire for boys mixed choirs, the tenor and bass parts of the male youth choirs and the combined choirs’ songs (a total of 18 songs) or only the category’s repertoire and the tenor and bass parts of the male youth choirs (8 songs).
Mixed choirs- SATB (SEK)
There must be at least 12 singers in the choir.
The mixed choir category is comprised of school choirs and other youth choirs whose singersaverage age is not older than 29 (as of 2 July 2023).
The repertoire for mixed choirs:
The mixed choirs must learn the entire repertoire for their category as well as the songs of the combined choirs (a total of 14 songs).
Girls’ choirs – SSAA (NEK)
There must be at least 12 singers in the choir.
The girls´choir category is comprised of school choirs and other youth choirs whose singers average age is not older than 29 (as of 2 July 2023).
The repertoire of the girls´choirs:
The girls´choirs must learn the entire repertoire of their category as well as the songs of the combined choirs (a total of 14 songs).
Male youth choirs – TTBB (NMEK)
There must be at least 12 singers in the choir.
The male youth choir category is comprised of school choirs and other youth choirs whose singers average age is not older than 29 (as of 2 July 2023).
The repertoire of the male youth choirs:
The male youth choirs must learn the entire repertoire for their category as well as the songs of the tenor and bass parts of the mixed boys´ choirs and the combined choirs (a total of 16 songs).
Wind orchestras (PO)
The wind orchestra category is comprised of orchestras with musicians whose average age is not older than 29 (as of 2 July 2023).
There must be at least 8 musicians in the orchestra.
The repertoire for wind orchestras:
The wind orchestras must learn the entire repertoire for their category (a total of 5 works). The wind orchestras also play during the procession, where they can choose their own repertoire.
Symphony orchestras (SO)
The symphony orchestra category is comprised of orchestras, with musicians whose average age is not older than 29 (as of 2 July 2023).
There must be at least 12 musicians in the orchestra.
The repertoire for symphony orchestras:
The symphony orchestras must learn the entire repertoire for their category (a total of 4 works).
Conditions for participation
- Registration of foreign groups for the XIII Youth Song Celebration will take place between 10 November 2021 and 28 February 2022 on the website of the Song and Dance Celebration www.laulupidu.ee. To register, the electronic registration form must be filled out.
- The groups will present their first video recording to the Artistic Committee based on the repertoire chosen by their ensemble by 1 November 2022 as follows:
- Young children’s choirs:
R.E. Maimets, Estonian folk tune „Me lähme rukist lõikama“, M. Lüdig „Koit“ (optional: category and opening combined choir songs)
või
R.E. Maimets, Estonian folk tune „Me lähme rukist lõikama“ (optional: category and opening combined choir songs) - Children’s choirs:
K. Kuulpak „Kodu“, M. Lüdig „Koit“, G. Ernesaks „Mu isamaa on minu arm“
- Boys´ choirs:
R. Puur „Loome elu ilusa“, M. Lüdig „Koit“ (selectable load: songs of the category and opening combined choir)
or
R. Puur „Loome elu ilusa“ (selectable load: only the songs of the category) - Mixed boys’choirs:
K. Voorand „Kõik on alles ees“, M. Lüdig „Koit“, G. Ernesaks „Mu isamaa on minu arm“ (selectable load: songs of the category, opening and closing combined choir)
või
K. Voorand „Kõik on alles ees“ (selectable load: only the songs of the category) - Mixed choirs:
E. Mägi „Vaikne lauluke“, M. Lüdig „Koit“, G. Ernesaks „Mu isamaa on minu arm“ - Girls’ choirs:
V. Tormis „Kiigelaulud“ 3 osa, M. Lüdig „Koit“, G. Ernesaks „Mu isamaa on minu arm“ - Male youth choirs:
T. Vettik „Su põhjamaa päikese kullast“, M. Lüdig „Koit“, G. Ernesaks „Mu isamaa on minu arm“ - Wind orchestras:
R. Jõgi „Laskem elada!“ - Symphony orchestras:
H. Otsa „Eesti tants“
- Young children’s choirs:
- If the group is selected, a recording of the presentation of the entire repertoire must be sent by
1 April 2023. - Registration does not guarantee participation in the event. The Artistic Committee of the Song Celebration will make the decision regarding the participation of the group by January 2023, at the latest.
Registration fee and study materials
The registration fee is €10 per member per choir, which includes the study material for choir members and the conductor. The cost of sending the study material is not included.
Registration includes a fee of €90 euros for the orchestra’s ensemble, e-parts (online) and score. The cost of sending the study material is not included.
The registration fee, together with the cost of sending the study material, is not refundable. Payment must be made on the basis of an invoice from the Estonian Song and Dance Festival Foundation.
Participation in the Celebration
The Artistic Committee will make the final decision regarding participation in the Celebration.
The organiser of the Celebration will provide the group with lunches in outdoor canteens during the Celebration week (one lunch per day), wristbands for access to the Celebration and the free use of public transport in Tallinn.
They must organise and finance their own travel expenses to Estonia, local accommodation expenses, catering expenses (except for lunch in the outdoor canteens) and other unnamed conditions of participation.
Approximate schedule for the Celebration week
Fri, 30 July – Sat, 1 July rehearsals at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
Sun, 2 July – procession and 13th Youth Song Festival Concert “Holy is the Land”.
Important information
Fri, 30 July – Sat, 1 July rehearsals at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
Sun, 2 July – procession and 13th Youth Song Festival Concert “Holy is the Land”.