Event Guide

  • 2017-04-19

ESTONIA

April 20-23, XV International Choir Festival Tallinn 2017, Tallinn’s concert halls and churches
The choir competition and festival has been held since 1972 and is for amateur choirs in all choral categories. Over 1,000 singers will be participating from all over the world. Guests can enjoy choir music from all eras and genres, from the Renaissance to contemporary works, and from folk to pop music. The Choral Festival includes both the choral contest and a series of concerts in the churches and concert halls of Tallinn. Full information on the festival’s participants, program and more is available at
www.kooriyhing.ee  

April 20-23, Hayao Miyazaki’s Retrospective, Cinema Sõprus, Tallinn
Living legend Hayao Miyazaki is the master of animation genre, whose half a century long career has gathered huge numbers of fans in both the West and the East. In Miyazaki’s enchanting film worlds, beautiful visual language meets with magic mixed with reality, and natural environments contrast with artificial. Regarding narrative, his handwriting is playful, and constantly seeking new possibilities in the films. There is usually no classical hero vs. anti-hero confrontation, the characters are rather complicated, contradictory towards oneself and multifaceted, not positive or negative in a black-and-white sort of way. The feminist dimension of Miyazaki’s films is also worth noting: women or girls are often in the lead roles of his films, making their own fortunes and not submitting to traditional gender roles. Detailed event program and more can be found at www.kinosoprus.ee

April 21-22, 17th Estonian Folk Music Arrangements
Festival Moisekatsi Elohelü, Mooste
Manor, Pôlva County
The 17th Estonian Folk Music Arrangements Festival Moisekatsi Elohelü will take place on April 21-22, 2017, at Mooste Manor in Pôlva County. These are the two days of exciting concerts, workshops, and joint singing in the historical Mooste Manor. There will be a musical arrangement competition, where the performers’ vocal and instrument-playing skills, creative fantasy and technical skills will be tested. The Festival is the place where folk music sounds in contemporary form, where different interpretations are welcome and a bridge is built between the old and the new. It is also a place to experience Old-Võrumaa’s customs and cultural heritage – an experience proving that folk music is shining in the changing times of today, in new traditions and forms, valuing our roots. Please visit the festival’s official page for more information: www.folkfest.weebly.com

Open till April 30, Ilmar Kruusamäe’s Painting Exhibition “Human”, Vana-Võromaa Culture Chamber, Võru
Human, the painting exhibition of Ilmar Kruusamäe (born in 1957), the living classic of hyperrealism, is on display in Vana-Võromaa Culture Chamber. A selection of large-scale portraits is an overview of his creation, with which the artist celebrates his jubilee year. The artist has created dozens of giant portraits – these are the people who have stood by the artist throughout the years, with whom he has grown up together and matured. Due to this, the uniqueness of the person has also been preserved in the painting.

April 21-30, Jazz Festival Jazzkaar 2017, Tallinn
Tallinn’s international festival Jazzkaar is the biggest jazz festival in the Baltic countries, which has been taking place since 1990. The 28th Jazzkaar takes place on April 21-30, 2017. The home of the festival will again be Telliskivi Creative City. The headlining act of the spring Jazzkaar is five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves. Reeves, who is known for her great command of rhythm, playful improvisation, and five-octave range, is performing at Nordea Concert Hall in Tallinn on April 27. Meshell Ndegeocello (USA) and Spyro Gyra (USA) have also confirmed their participation. Additional information on performers and concerts will be available at the festival’s website
www.jazzkaar.ee

April 23-29, Dance Week, Viljandi County
Dance Week is a cross-cultural, multi-dimensional and multi-stylistic propaganda providing everyday activities for art enthusiasts as well as regular citizens, culminating on April 29 with the celebration of international dance day. The festival takes place in the city and county of Viljandi. The festival is organized by NPO OMA Stuudio and the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy. Additional information can be found at www.tantsunadal.ee

April 28-30, Traditional Dance Sabatants, The Club of Different, Tallinn
Sabatants is a three-day festival of traditional dance that offers a possibility to learn traditional dance in depth and to engage in it as well. The festival appreciates traditions and offers joy through dance. The program includes seminars and workshops during the day and dance clubs in the evenings, where you can employ what you learned during the day with the help from the best accompaniment to implement what was previously known, or to try some of your very first dance moves. Go to the festival’s official page www.sabatants.ee to find out more.

Open till April 30, Aarne Mesikäpp’s “Damn Tough Art Exhibition”, Tartu Art House, Tartu
Celebrated graphic artist Aarne Mesikäpp has designed so many books and posters that even he himself doesn’t know their number. He is equally legendary as a graphics teacher of the Estonian State Art Institute (present day Estonian Academy of Arts, EAA). Although he has participated in Estonian art life from the second half of the 1960s, “Damn Tough Art Exhibition” is technically the first series that Mesikäpp has made for display in the gallery space. The exhibition contains works from the last years that the author himself calls caricatures. They are made with humorous intentions, but repetitive graphical elements are used to talk about serious and topical themes and the artist does not shy away from contrasts and juxtapositions that might seem cliché-like. Mesikäpp has discovered the typefaces and typographical frames from the 1920s State Industrial Art School and from the time of Günther Reindorff, that have been stored in the rich archives of EAA. Therefore, all the works at the “Damn Tough Art Exhibition” are made with typographical techniques. The exhibitions of the Tartu Art House are supported by the Tartu Town Government and the Cultural Capital of Estonia, and are free of charge. Additional information on the exhibition can be found at
www.kunstimaja.ee

LATVIA

April 7 – May 14, Krista Dzudzilo’s Solo Exhibition “The Sixth Creation of the World”, National Museum of Art Exhibition Space Arsenals, Riga
In her video installation exhibition The Sixth Creation of the World, the artist continues her artistic practice – finding a connection between fundamental processes as creation, life, time and personal experience. Despite her chosen form of art – be they paintings, video installations or something else – Krista Dzudzilo retains a laconic clarity, and the ideas and forms expressed in these works are refined to pure symbolism. Creation as a universal idea is given a concreteness, taking the viewer not to a poetic generalization of feeling, but instead bringing him or her closer to reality. The Sixth Creation of the World is aimed at finding a link between the creation of the world, creation of symphony and creation of life.

April 27-30, International Jazz Day Latvia 2017, Riga and other Latvian cities
In April, Latvia will celebrate International Jazz Day for the fourth time, uniting the best jazz musicians in cafes, bars, nightclubs and concert halls. Detailed information will follow soon and can be found at www.jazzday.lv
April 28, Sinfonietta Riga Presents: American Seasons and Graffiti for Chamber Orchestra, Great Guild, Riga
For the past several years, Latvian violinist Jana Ozolina has been studying and working in Switzerland, frequently taking additional classes from the renowned violinist Boris Kuschnir. She performs with the Young Eurasian Soloists, a chamber orchestra formed by herself. In Riga, the skilled and spirited soloist will perform the Vivaldi-inspired, melodically throbbing concerto The American Four Seasons by the founding father of American minimalism, Philip Glass. Another unusual encounter proposed by Sinfonietta Riga will be the string piece by Unsuk Chin, the best-known Korean composer in Europe – inspired by street graffiti and embellished with bells and gongs. Furthermore, also performed will be a new chamber concerto by the quiet Latvian with an ironic smile – Oskars Herlins. Tickets can be purchased online via www.bilesuparadize.lv and more information on the concert can be found at
www.latvijaskoncerti.lv

April 29, Jazz Concert by Cyrille Aimee, Dzintari Concert Hall, Jurmala
Cyrille Aimee was primarily raised in France by a French-Dominican parentage. As a curious child in Samois-sur-Seine, she would sneak out of her bedroom window to wander into the nearby gypsy encampments filled with those attending the annual Django Reinhardt Festival. She quickly fell in love with gypsy music and way of life, and in later years, she would sing on street corners with musician friends while traveling across Europe. Accompanied by two guitar prodigies, Adrien Moignard and Michael Valeanu, as well as an Australian rhythm section (consisting of bassist Sam Anning and drummer Raj Jayaweera), so tight-knit, that they are almost the same person, she adds pensive touches to her usual zest and reveals a bittersweet depth that will have listeners daydreaming for a while. To buy tickets, please go to www.bilesuparadize.lv and learn more about the concert at
www.dzintarukoncertzale.lv

LITHUANIA

April 20, Concert by Nancy Viera, Jazz Cellar 11, Vilnius
Nancy Vieira is a fellow of Cesaria Evora. She is titled the best voice of Portugal. She sings mourn, a traditional genre of island music sung in the melodious Creole language. It builds bridges between Europe and Africa. Mourn in Cape Verde is the same as fado in Portugal, tango in Argentina, flamenco in Spain and rumba in Cuba. Nancy is very selective to her repertoire. Every song tells its story and creates an unforgettable mood. Even if it is sung in the Creole language, which you do not understand, you close your eyes blissfully, because you hear it with your heart. The sensitive voice of exotic, bright Nancy is a trip to the eternal soul spring. Tickets to Nancy’s concert cost 15 EUR and can be purchased 1 hour prior to the event at the concert venue.

April 22, Concert to Mark the 60th Anniversary of Composer Arvydas Malcys, Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Vilnius
On April 22, the audience is welcomed to enjoy the works of Lithuanian composer Arvydas Malcys at a concert organized in collaboration with the Lithuanian Composers’ Union featuring the soloists: Liudas Mockūnas (saxophone) and Boris Andrianov (cello), as well as the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra led by young conductor Martynas Stakionis. The concert will offer works representing various periods of the composer’s creative career. Based on three episodes from the Battle of Grünwald chronicles, the Symphony No. 3 Grünwald was written in 2010 and premiered in Kaunas Philharmonic Hall in 2011. Instrumental music makes up the most significant part of Malcys’ creative output. In a number of his works for various instrumental settings, the tendencies of absolute music fit well with nearly expressionistic imagery and sound poetry reminiscent of impressionism; a feel for neoclassical forms with aleatory and a penchant for colorful textures and specific sound effects. Detailed information on the concert and ticket purchase can be found at
www.filharmonija.lt

April 22-23, Photo Festival Snap, Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva, Vilnius
The largest photo festival in Lithuania Snap, that gathers more than 3,000 participants, returns for the 8th time! Whether you take pictures on your phone, or have already made good shots and put them on Instagram, or are advanced, but would like to make progress, Snap is for everyone. We are united by a love of different images and a belief in their power. For the first time, the Snap festival will last for 2 days. The entire weekend, there will be open and closed workshops, lectures, inspiring experiences from Lithuanian and foreign stars and novelties of photo techniques that may be tried and purchased. For more information and tickets please visit
www.snap.lt/lt/pagrindinis

April 25, Concert by Alex Clare, Congress Hall, Vinius
He is a singer who is hard to press in the limits of one style. And it is not necessary – some people know his electronic sound hit Too Close, which broke into the US and Great Britain TOP 10, others know his indie rock songs, the rest know his acoustic performed compositions or experiments with drum’n’bass and R&B music. There is no doubt that this British man is one of the most interesting singers and music creators that became famous in this decade. Purchase tickets online via www.bilietai.lt

April 25, Concert by Subtilu-Z, Vaidila Theatre, Vilnius
Subtilu-Z is a gathering of extremely virtuoso sound aesthetics that formed its unique, recognizable music nature and characteristics. The quartet is determined to achieve an exceptional sound quality, which has significantly approached to the fulfillment of this ambitious plan over eleven years, and play everything in another way than it was written originally. It is all included into the long-awaited and carefully cherished fourth album Grammy Winners. More information about the musicians is available at www.subtilu-z.lt and tickets to their concert can be purchased online via
www.bilietai.lt

April 25, Live Concert by Gregory Porter, Concert Hall Compensa, Vilnius
The singer who received a Grammy Award brightly shines not only in jazz, but pop music genres. In Vilnius, he will perform his new world tour programme, in which he will present compositions from the album released in 2016 -- Take Me To The Alley, and other popular songs. Tickets can be purchased online via www.bilietai.lt

April 27, Live Concert by Imany, Concert Hall Compensa, Vilnius
On April 27, singer Imany, titled as the new French soul music diva, will perform her show in Vilnius. Several years ago, she had her first concert in Vilnius that is still remembered by many people, not only due to the fully packed VU Great Yard, but also due to the very sensitive and sincere evening presented by the beginner-star. This time Imany returns with gained world acknowledgement, having two studio albums and ready to present all her fans with her best songs and most beautiful emotions. Tickets can be purchased online via www.bilietai.lt

May 1-7, Design Week Lithuania 2017, various venues throughout Lithuania
From May 1 to May 7, 2017 Design Week Lithuania will take place for the 12th time in six different cities of Lithuania – Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Telšiai and Anykščiai. The official opening of Design Week Lithuania will be held on May 2nd and is followed by the ceremony of the national competition Good Design awards, and the exposition of winners’ works. What is more, expositions of Dizainovacija.lt project will revive the windows of shops and restaurants located in the main streets of festival cities. In 2017, the guest country will be Poland. In collaboration with Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Warsaw and Poland Institute in Vilnius, events dedicated to Polish design will be held during Design Week Lithuania. Also, designers from Hungary will visit the festival for the second time. The admission to all events is free. To learn more, please go to
www.dizainosavaite.lt/2016/11/dizainsavaite-2017