Estonian Music Days 2026 „STORIES“ / EMP 2026

Series

Estonian Music Days 2026 "Stories"

April 11–19 2026, 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.

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.eestimuusikapaevad.ee