Estonian Music Days 2026 | FESTIVAL PASS • Estonian Music Days 2026 „STORIES“ / EMP 2026

April 11–19 Tallinn, Tartu, Laulasmaa

Storytelling is one of the most central dimensions of being human. Man is a narrative being; we make sense of the world through stories. Stories are like an axis, a driving force through which we love, hate, wage war, build, and create. We have evolved through a narrative evolution, where more effective and compelling stories have pushed aside the weaker ones.

However, stories reach us not only through language and words but touch us through all possible artistic mediums. Perhaps some of the most powerful stories are those that operate beyond words and concepts. They often work even more directly and shake us more deeply than their verbal versions.

Musical stories are surely as old as humanity, if not older. It has been suggested that humans began to sing before they began to speak. This means that musical stories reached us first; they are something we need, something we still long for and reach out to find.

Within the framework of EMP (Estonian Music Days), new stories are being created, while older, more archaic tales are being weighed, gauged, and brought into the modern day.

PASS INFORMATION

The Festival Pass grants the holder access to all festival concerts taking place from April 11–19, 2026, in Tallinn and Tartu, provided that "zero-euro" tickets are reserved in advance via Piletikeskus, with the following exceptions:

• April 11, 19:00 – no separate ticket is required for the Estonian National Male Choir concert; simply present your festival pass at the door.

Festival passes do not grant entry to these events. A separate ticket is required:

• EMP and Veinikino present: "Serenades" | 23.04 @ Erinevate Tubade Klubi (ETK)

After purchasing a pass, a personal code will be generated for you. Use this code to "purchase" free advance tickets for the concerts you wish to attend. We kindly ask that you only reserve tickets for concerts you are certain to attend. These "zero-euro" tickets can be redeemed only via Piletikeskus during the entire sales period, provided the concert is not sold out. A reminder regarding this process will be sent to you as the festival approaches.

FESTIVAL PROGRAM

▩ 11.04 St. John’s Church, Tallinn: Ellerhein Girls’ Choir | M. Valkonen*, K. Matson*, V. Tormis, A. Pärt, U. Sisask

▩ 11.04 Club Hall: „The Birth of Light“ | Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, E. Kont, V. Krigul, J. Mikk | M. Rostovtseva*, A. I. Susi*, L. Jürgens*

▩ 11.04 Estonia Concert Hall Café | Panel Discussion: What is the Breeding Ground for New Music Theatre? (free admission, max 30 participants, see the 0-ticket from pre-sale)

▩ 11.04 Estonia Concert Hall: Estonian National Male Choir & Ensemble of the Estonian Electronic Music Society | A. Kruusmaa*, J. Tarm*, G. J. Salumäe* jt

▩ 12.04 MUBA: String Quartet M4GNET | A.-M. Noorhani*, T. Kozlova-Johannes*, G. Kulla*, M. M. Gildemann*

▩ 12.04 House of Blackheads (Olaf’d Guild Hall) | „Estonian Music Abroad“ 

▩ 12.04 Estonian Centre for Contemporary Music | Panel Discussion – Freedom, Boundaries, and Sounds: The Paths of Estonian Contemporary Music in the World (free admission, max 30 participants, see the 0-ticket from pre-sale)

▩ 13.04 Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre Concert Hall, Main Hall: EMTA sinfonietta | Student New Works

▩ 14.04 Estonian National Opera Chamber Hall: Ludensemble | M. Liik*, E. Masing*, L. Jõeleht*, M. M. Gildemann, J. Reinvere

▩ 14.04 Estonian Centre for Contemporary Music | Residentuu:r 2026: Transmission. Communication. Media 3 (free admission, max 30 participants, see the 0-ticket from pre-sale)

▩ 15.04 Estonian National Opera Chamber Hall: Broken Frames Syndicate (Germany) „HELLO DARKNESS“ | A. Thorvaldsdottir, P. Schäfer, S. Hennies, M. Maltis, T. Kozlova-Johannes*, M. Gordon

▩ 16.04 St. John’s Chuch, Tallinn: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir & Cantoque Ensemble (Iceland) | H. Tulve*, R. E. Maimets*, H. Guðmundsson*, F. Martin

▩ 17.04 Estonia Concert Hall: Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, H. C. Aavik, H.-R. Leivategija, S. d’Amico | L. Hirsch*, R. E. Maimets, E.-S. Tüür, L. Sumera

▩ 18.04 Musical Tartu City Tour with Alo Põldmäe (free admission, 30 bus vacancies, see the 0-ticket from pre-sale)

▩ 18.04 Heino Eller Tartu Music College, Tubin Hall: „Young Composer“ Competition Final Concert, free admission

▩ 18.04 University of Tartu Museum: Quiet Music Ensemble (Ireland) | L. Hõbepappel*, M.-M. Lill*, K. Power, A. Murray

▩ 18.04 Tartu Literature House: Stories in Word and Music | A. R. Varres, R. Jürjendal, K. Ehin, U. Vadi, V. Mikita

▩ 19.04 Tallinn City Tour with Jan Kaus

▩ 19.04 Heino Eller Tartu Music College, Tubin Hall: String Quartet M4GNET | A.-M. Noorhani*, T. Kozlova-Johannes*, G. Kulla*, M. M. Gildemann*

▩ 19.04 Arvo Pärt Centre: Quiet Music Ensemble (Ireland) | L. Hõbepappel*, M.-M. Lill*, K. Power, A. Murray

The organizer reserves the right to make changes to the program.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

www.estonianmusicdays.com