Participants in Song and Dance Celebration to include visiting groups from Australia to Japan

The XXVII Song and Dance Celebration “My Fatherland is My Love” will feature a number of foreign performers, including Estonians who live and work abroad as well as foreigners who have taken the trouble to learn our songs and dances. Estonia will host choirs from Finland and Sweden as well as more distant locations such as the US, Australia, Luxembourg and Switzerland – a total of 42 visiting groups. Foreign ensembles taking part in the Dance Celebration include seven mixed, six female and two family ensembles.

This time, the foreign groups’ above-average interest in the Song and Dance Celebration can also be put down to the fact that it is immediately preceded by the XII International Estonian Culture Festival taking place in Helsinki, Tartu and Tallinn.

Several of the visiting groups have also participated in previous Song and Dance Celebrations. The groups that have already stood under the arch of the Song Festival Grounds include the majority of European choirs, but also the US-based Piedmont Children’s Choir. One of the most special visiting groups participating in this year’s event is the Wakayama Children’s Choir from Japan.

Of all foreign Estonian groups performing at the Dance Celebration, two family ensembles stand out from among mixed and female ensembles – Vingerpussid from Finland and UK-based Estonian Folks. The family ensemble is an entirely new type of group specifically designed for the XX Dance Celebration, which is comprised of adults and children.

Estonian diaspora choirs attending the XXVII Song Celebration “My Fatherland is My Love”

  • Kooskõlas (mixed choir) – Australia
  • Pillerkoor (partial mixed choir) – Austria
  • Beene Belgian Estonian Mixed Choir(mixed choir) – Belgium
  • Toronto Estonian Male Voice Choir(male choir) – Canada
  • Hamilton Estonian Society Choir(mixed choir) – Canada
  • Läänetuul(mixed choir) – Canada
  • TEAS ööbik(mixed choir) – Canada
  • Estonia Choir(partial mixed choir) – Canada
  • European Estonian Children’s Choir(children’s choir) – Luxembourg
  • European Estonian Choir(partial mixed choir) – Luxembourg
  • Stavanger Estonian Mixed Choir(mixed choir) – Norway
  • French Estonian Song Celebration Choir(female choir) – France
  • Stockholm Estonian Female Choir(female choir) – Sweden
  • Gothenburg Estonian Mixed Choir(mixed choir) – Sweden
  • Stockholm Estonian Mixed Choir(partial mixed choir) – Sweden
  • Helsinki Estonian Children’s Choir(children’s choir) – Finland
  • Helsinki Estonian Female Choir(female choir) – Finland
  • Tampere Estonian Mixed Choir(mixed choir) – Finland
  • Siller(mixed choir) – Finland
  • I.M.E. Choir (International Music-friends of Estonia)(mixed choir) – Switzerland
  • United Kingdom Estonian Mixed Choir(mixed choir) – United Kingdom
  • Baltimore-Washington Estonian Mixed Choir(mixed choir) – USA
  • Estonian Community Choir of San Francisco(mixed choir) – USA
  • New York Estonian Mixed Choir(mixed choir) – USA
  • Seattle Estonian Mixed Choir(mixed choir) – USA

Foreign choirs attending XXVII Song Celebration “My Fatherland is My Love”

  • Wakayama Children’s Choir(children’s choir) – Japan
  • Aukstyn Brass Band(brass band) – Lithuania
  • Osterøykoret(mixed choir) – Norway
  • Sandviken Kantori(mixed choir) – Norway
  • L’orchestre d’harmonie de Gerzat(brass band) – France
  • Aixmuusika(mixed choir) – Germany
  • Kammerchor Nordhessen(mixed choir) – Germany
  • Mieskuoro Laulajat(male choir) – Finland
  • POHJAN LAULU(male choir) – Finland
  • YNNIN POJAT(boys’ choir) – Finland
  • Seitakuoro(partial mixed choir) – Finland
  • Vocalino Wettingen(mixed choir) – Switzerland
  • Pueri gaudentes(boys’ choir) – Czech Republic
  • Piedmont Children’s Choir(children’s choir) – USA
  • Jubilate Singers of the Upper Valley(mixed choir) – USA
  • Unistus Chamber Choir(mixed choir) – USA
  • University of Washington Festival Chorus (mixed choir) – USA

Estonian diaspora ensembles attending the XX Dance Celebration “MY Fatherland is My Love”

Mixed ensembles:

  • Euroviisud– Belgium (S3)
  • Estonian Folks– United Kingdom (S3)
  • Kilplased– Canada (S4)
  • Toronto Kungla– Canada (S4)
  • Viikingid– Norway (S3)
  • Virvel– Sweden (S4)
  • Ülelahedad– Finland (S4)

Female ensembles:

  • Brisbane’i Eesti– Australia (N2)
  • Tuuletütred– Netherlands (N1)
  • Iiris– Ireland (N2)
  • Laiali– Luxembourg (N1)
  • Helsinki Helmed– Finland (N2)
  • Nopsjalad ja Trondheimi Trollid– Finnish-Norwegian mixed group (N2)

Family ensembles:

  • ESTONIAN FOLKS– United Kingdom (P)
  • Vingerpussid– Finland (P)