Viljandi Folk Festival
Encyclopedia
The Viljandi Folk Music Festival is a music festival
in Estonia
with a central focus on European folk music
. It is traditionally held during the last weekend of July, when the otherwise quiet city of Viljandi
is completely transformed as the small city center is suddenly flooded with people. The main attraction of the festival is the friendly atmosphere. Over 25,000 people attend the concerts every year, but many more just come to take part in the festivities. As such, it is the largest annual music festival in Estonia, and one of the largest folk music festivals in Europe.
The festival itself has grown from a more traditional Estonian folklore festival to a massive enterprise with an increasing number of international celebrities. Even some of the key native bands headlining the festival could easily be classified as folk rock
(Vägilased) and even folk metal
(Oort). The modern and popular music influences makes it highly appealing to the youth and almost all university students have been to the festival before they graduate, but hardcore fans of Estonian ethnic music prefer the more traditional festival held in Võru
(south Estonia).
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
with a central focus on European folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. It is traditionally held during the last weekend of July, when the otherwise quiet city of Viljandi
Viljandi
Viljandi is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 19,150 . It is the capital of Viljandi County. The town was first mentioned in 1283, upon being granted its town charter by Wilhelm von Endorpe....
is completely transformed as the small city center is suddenly flooded with people. The main attraction of the festival is the friendly atmosphere. Over 25,000 people attend the concerts every year, but many more just come to take part in the festivities. As such, it is the largest annual music festival in Estonia, and one of the largest folk music festivals in Europe.
The festival itself has grown from a more traditional Estonian folklore festival to a massive enterprise with an increasing number of international celebrities. Even some of the key native bands headlining the festival could easily be classified as folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
(Vägilased) and even folk metal
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
(Oort). The modern and popular music influences makes it highly appealing to the youth and almost all university students have been to the festival before they graduate, but hardcore fans of Estonian ethnic music prefer the more traditional festival held in Võru
Võru
Võru is a town and a municipality in south-eastern Estonia. It is the capital of Võru County and the centre of Võru Parish.-History:Võru was founded on 21 August 1784, according to the wish of the Empress Catherine II of Russia, by the order of Riga Governor general count George Browne, on the...
(south Estonia).
Highlights of past festivals
- IX Viljandi Folk Music Festival July 26–29, 2001.
Headlined by Yat-KhaYat-KhaYat-Kha is a band from Tuva, led by vocalist/guitarist Albert Kuvezin. Their music is a mixture of Tuvan traditional music and rock, featuring Kuvezin's distinctive kargyraa throat singing style, the kanzat kargyraa.-Biography:...
(Tuva), VäsenVäsenVäsen is a Swedish folk music band originally consisting of Olov Johansson , Mikael Marin and Roger Tallroth . Later André Ferrari also joined the group. they have released 14 albums, and have toured every year also outside of Europe...
(Sweden), Fluxus (Belgium), Gerry O'ConnorGerry O'ConnorGerry "Fiddle" O'Connor is a traditional Irish fiddle player.His family has played fiddle for at least four generations and Gerry learned his music from his mother, Rose O'Connor, and also from hand-written manuscripts passed down through the family.He later came under the influence of John Joe...
& Desi Wilkinson (Ireland). - X Viljandi Folk Music Festival July 25–28, 2002.
Headlined by Talitha MacKenzieTalitha MacKenzieTalitha MacKenzie is an American world music recording artist, teacher and ethnomusicologist. Initially known for her work as the singing half of the original Mouth Music lineup, she has gone on to follow a highly-respected solo career...
(Scotland), GjallarhornGjallarhornIn Norse mythology, Gjallarhorn is a horn associated with the god Heimdallr and the wise being Mímir...
(Finland), AtalyjaAtalyjaAtalyja is a Lithuanian folk-rock music band. It seeks to popularize archaic Lithuanian folklore and bring the ancient songs closer to the contemporary listener. The band's creations boast a big variety of musical styles, rich tonal palette and unique and ingenious arrangements...
(Lithuania), Fanfara de la Chetris (Romania). - XI Viljandi Folk Music Festival July 24–27, 2003.
Headlined by HaydamakyHaydamaky (band)Haydamaky is a Ukrainian folk rock band formed in 1991.- History :The Haydamaky began their career in 1991, shortly after Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union. Then the band was known as Aktus, and played mostly local gigs in the underground Kiev music scene...
(Ukraine), VärttinäVärttinäVärttinä is a Finnish folk music band which was started as a project by Sari and Mari Kaasinen back in 1983 in the village of Rääkkylä, in Karelia, the southeastern region of Finland. Many transformations have taken place in the band since then...
(Finland), Galldubh (Ireland), Romano Drom (Hungary), Alberto Gutierrez et Maquinolandela (Cuba). - XII Viljandi Folk Music Festival July 22–25, 2004.
Headlined by Esma RedzepovaEsma RedzepovaEsma Redžepova is a Macedonian vocalist, songwriter, and humanitarian. During her life she has performed in more than 9000 concerts in 30 countries, with her late husband Stevo Teodosievski she has fostered forty-seven children, and she has received numerous accolades for her humanitarian work. By...
(Macedonia), EstaESTAESTA may refer to:*Electronic System for Travel Authorization.*Entertainment Services and Technology Association.*Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority, the emergency call-processing and service-dispatch agency for Victoria, Australia....
(Israel), JPPJPPJPP is a group of Finnish folk musicians, mainly fiddlers, hailing from Kaustinen. The name originally meant Järvelän Pikkupelimannit, the small fiddlers of Järvelä, but today the group only uses the abbreviation JPP...
(Finland), Mary YoungbloodMary YoungbloodMary Youngblood is a Northern California Native American flutist. She is half Aleut, and half Seminole. She has been awarded three Native American Music Awards, being the first woman to win "Flutist of the Year," which she won in both 1999 and 2000, as well as winning "Best Female Artist" in 2000...
(USA), Dorsa (Northern Ireland), and BuBBubBub is an Indian film in Kashmiri language directed by Jyoti Sarup. It released in Jammu on 1 December 2001. It is only the third Kashmiri film, the preceding one was released 38 years before....
(Belgium). - XIII Viljandi Folk Music Festival July 28–31, 2005.
Headlined by Brolum (Scotland), Henrik Jansberg Quartet (Denmark), Fiddlesong (Canada), OsimiraOsimira-Festivals:* be2gether* Koktebel Jazz Festival* WorldMusicTree* Crivia Aeterna* GOLDWING* ETHNOLIFE* FIDOF* MIODOBRANIE* Swieto Wody* 5 Lietniej Akadiemii Filmowoj* Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk* Be2gether festival* Viljandi Folk Festival-External links:...
(Belarus). - XIV Viljandi Folk Music Festival July 20–23, 2006.
Headlined by Altan (Ireland), Filska (Shetland islands), Evgenij Genev & Balkan Folk Acoustic (Bulgaria), Csik Band (Hungary), TummelTummelTummel is a Swedish/Danish klezmer band formed in 1997. Tummel plays music that combines traditional klezmer sounds with influences from jazz and the folk music of Sweden and the former Yugoslavia.-Albums:...
(Sweden)