In 2018 the Republic of Estonia celebrates its 100th anniversary, as part of this milestone the whole country has begun its celebrations across the globe to bring out stories and hidden pieces of Estonian culture. In the second half of 2017, Estonia will be holding the presidency of the European Union Council focusing on many modern cultural preservation and economic topics within the EU.
As part of the multidisciplinary concert “Tonality of Culture” two Estonian-born artist Valev Laube and Diina Tamm present various dance and musical interpretations of old Estonian archive recordings dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. Through many of these recordings young artists across Estonia try to reconnect with the pre-Soviet Estonian music and traditions to continue old and find new interpretations of traditional music. The concert is presented in four 10-minute chapters, each revealing a different tradition and how it resonates with the new Estonian identity. We’re going to take a closer look at how archive recordings from the past 100 years resonate with folk-inspired contemporary instrumental music and modern day. These performances reveal sides of Estonian culture that were oppressed or prohibited during the occupation and how artists nowadays use it to find new interpretations and preset them in a more interconnected and globalized setting.
Curated by Diina Tamm and Valev Laube.
This event is part of the European Month of Culture (EUMC). Now in its fifth year, EUMC is a month-long festival of innovative and creative events for the American public highlighting the diverse cultures of all 28 European Union Member countries. Enjoy film, dance, music, theatre, exhibits, language classes, workshops and more in great venues throughout Washington DC. Most events are free! To see all EUMC events, click here.
