RAHVAKULTUURIORGANISATSIOONE EESTIS

Different folklore organizations in Estonia
 

  We have in Estonia many folklore organizations for folkdancers and folkmusicians and others

  Estonian Folkdance and Folk Music Association  Eesti Rahvatantsu ja Rahvamuusika Selts

  Estonian Song and Dance Celebration Foundation  Eesti Laulu ja Tantsupeo Sihtasutus

  Estonian National Folklore Council  Eesti Rahvuslik Folkloorinõukogu

  Estonian Traditional Music Center  Eesti Pärimusmuusika Keskus

  Estonian Folk Culture Development and Training Centre  Rahvakultuuri Arendus- ja Koolituskeskus

  Estonian Folk Art and Craft Union   Eesti Rahvakunsti ja Käsitöö Liit

  Estonian Choral Association  Eesti Kooriühing



We have in Estonia many folklore organizations for folkdancers and folkmusicians and others

The explanation:
The independent society Estonian Local Committee of the Europeade was founded in 2006 and the committee took over all procedures.
The main idea of local committee is publicizing of goals of international festival Europeade in Estonia, bringing Estonian groups to the festival and helping TARTU city with organizing Europeade 2011.
We have dealed with these things and keep going on this road.
The Estonian local Committee of the Europeade is independent nationwide organization whose activity don’t coincide with activity of any other organization.

Different organizations in Estonia:

There are a lot of folk culture organizations in Estonia what are called differently like association, union, society, council, center, agency, foundation, committee etc.
But they all are non profit organizations basically.
Every organization deals with his branch of work. Some of them work quite actively, some act more passively.
The work of some organizations coincide with each other but some are independent in his own course of action.
We haven’t had the nessecity to add together all organizations and hopefully the nessecity will never come.
There are a competition between some organizations what is actually good and impelling.
There are also a local folk culture organizations in almost every county who try to coordinate local activities.
They are independent organizations. Some of them have his regional subunits.
There are some hundreds folk culture societies acting as legal NGOs.
A lot of small local societies act totally autonomously and don’t belong to any bigger organization.
Several organizations follow up each other and make a really good cooperation.
Some organizations have difficulties with setting their sights and accomplishing them, some organizations manage well in every area.
So everything is relative.
As You see, the landscape of Estonian culture organizations is very varied and we introduce You today only a small part of the

Estonian Folkdance and Folk Music Association
Eesti Rahvatantsu ja Rahvamuusika Selts

(abbreviated ERRS) is the association of folk dance, folk music teachers and amateurs.
ERRS is the central association in the area of folk dance and folk music.
The central association consists of bigger and smaller units – various different kinds of national associations, societies, unions of the same area, also county and regional associations.
Estonian Folk Music Association was founded on 10.12.1988. The chairmen: Anti Kalamees (1988-1989), Ülo Luht (1989-93, folk dance), Ahto Nurk (1989-93 folk music), Valdo Rebane (1993-2002) ,Kalev Järvela (2002-2021) and Kadri Tiis (since 2021...).
ERRS is one of the initiators of folk dance reward.
ERRS has its own badge of honour. *Estonian Dance Leaders’ Folk Dance Group and *Estonian Folk Music Orchestra of Conductors belong to ERRS.
ERRS is a co-operation partner for Estonian Song- and Dance Celebration Foundation in the preparation and directing of nationwide dance festivals and youth dance festivals
The main aim of ERRS is the preservation and development of folk dance and folk music.
In co-operation with the Folk Culture Development and Training Centre we arrange training sessions, seminars, courses (annual summer courses for folk dance and folk music leaders) etc.
 

Estonian Song and Dance Celebration Foundation
Eesti Laulu- ja Tantsupeo Sihtasutus

Estonia and Song and Dance Celebration – these two belong together like Norway and skiing, Russia and bears or England and the Oxford-Cambridge boat race.
The Song Celebration tradition started in the middle of the 19th century and it has survived all of the twists and turns in Estonia’ s history.
It has defied the hardest of times like a frail plant that pushes its way through concrete with its inner strength and then bursts into bloom.
Preceded by some local Song Celebrations, the first nationwide Song Celebration was held in Tartu in 1869.
At the time this was seen as the first attempt at national self-determination, manifested before the Baltic-German rulers:
See, we can do something too! Fifty choirs and musical ensembles from all over Estonia performed before an audience of thousands, who experienced a blissful sense of belonging, enhanced by the beauty of the music and the songs.
This celebration evolved into a tradition that still flourishes today.
The small nation which started the tradition has had to prove to foreign authorities, even in the 20th century, that they are a fully fledged nation with its own rights and resolves.
Song and Dance Celebrations were not just big festivals of singing and music but a way to demonstrate the national spirit and to strengthen the sense of belonging.
The age of foreign rulers is past but Song and Dance Celebrations are still alive – both local and nationwide.
And this proves how deep and strong is the core, spirit and meaning of Song and Dance Celebrations.
It is definitely not only the spirit of protest and resistance that brings hundreds of thousands of Estonians – and an increasing number of guests from around the world – every five years to Tallinn.
The total number of performers in the Song and Dance Celebration in 2004 was 34 000 and they performed before an audience of 200 000.
Rather, it is the unique combination of the sublimity of music and human warmth that a rather distrustful northern nation dares to show during Song Celebrations, much to the surprise of others and its self..
Song and Dance Celebration - this is a joy.
Because Song Festivals are irreplacable and unique, they can only be experienced on site.
Many thanks to all who have contributed to this Celebration!

Estonian National Folklore Council
Eesti Rahvuslik Folkloorinõukogu

Estonian National Folklore Council is a non-governmental organization, set up on an interdisciplinary basis and acts as the roof-organization for all institutions, which are practically, organizationally and scientifically engaged in folk culture, folk art and the cultural heritage and function in accordance with the aims of the Council - to safeguard, transmit and diffuse of traditional culture.
The Estonian National Folklore Council (ENFC) was founded in 1992.
ENFC represent Estonian Republic in the International Council of Organizations for Folklore Festivals and Folk Art (CIOFF - NGO in formal consultative relations with UNESCO) in the rights of the Estonian National Section (CIOFF Estonia) and belongs to the Northern-European Sector of CIOFF. ENFC is fully acknowledged by the Ministry of Culture of Estonia.

Estonian Traditional Music Center
Eesti Pärimusmuusika Keskus

If one says VILJANDI the first to come to mind are Viljandi Folk Music Festival and Viljandi Culture Academy. This small town is certainly considered to be the “capital of folk music” by lots of Estonians.
Estonian Traditional Music Center organizes Viljandi Folk Music Festival and other traditional music events and various educational and cultural activities, gives support to traditional musicians, establishes and tightens international relationships in the field of traditional music.
Apart from reviving our traditional musical heritage the Center gives it an opportunity to become stronger, which in its turn forms basis for the birth of new music.
 The mission is to promote and teach traditional music, to give people back their “musical mother tongue” as Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly has said. And to entertain and make traditional music an active part of our everyday life by carefully selected programmes.
The emphasis is laid on the Estonian traditional music.
At the same time we get acquainted with other traditional cultures in the world by listening to the artistically strong and cogent performers from abroad.
The Center came into being and is run by a group of enthusiasts, who together with local authorities now belong to a NGO, founded to keep Viljandi Folk Music Festival going. The first festival was held in 1993

Estonian Folk Culture Development and Training Centre
Rahvakultuuri Arendus- ja Koolituskeskus

... was founded on October 1st 1994 incorporating the Folk Culture Training School and Folk Culture Developing Center.
Our main function is consulting and training in the field of folk culture.
The target group is the personnel of public culture centers, libraries and museums, leaders of amateur theatre groups, dance groups, music groups, handicraft societies etc.
Through consulting and helping them we try to inprove the preservation and development of regional folk life.
Identifing the repertoire has always been the greatest challange. We have been trying to help solve this problem.
There have been published dance books, notes for family music groups, register of plays.
Recently the dance books Kristjan Torop’s “Kontratantsud”, “Maie Orava’s Dances” and “The Dances of the turn of the century” and a memuar book of a grand old man in Estonian dance life “Remainding of Kristjan Torop” were published.
Folk Culture Center offers training and continuous education in your profession, as well as courses in general and cultural education.
Each year you can choose between ca 50 different courses.

Estonian Folk Art and Craft Union
Eesti Rahvakunsti ja Käsitöö Liit

The valuation, preservation and development of national handicraft traditions, appreciating regional diversity and maintaining folk craft as a cultural phenomenon as well as a source of substance.
An effectively functioning central union which revives, supports, promotes and develops national handicraft traditions and modern creative handicraft and unifies local folk art and craft associations. It collaborates with similar Estonian, Nordic and European organizations and its partners include museums, higher and vocational education institutions that teach handicraft.

Estonian Choral Association
Eesti Kooriühing

Estonian Choral Association (founded in 1982) is the umbrella organization for all choirs, wind orchestras, choral conductors and music teachers in Estonia. Its goals are to foster the choral and wind music tradition, to find and spread repertoire, to create new contacts, to organize international choral festivals, competitions, concerts, educational programs, seminars, one-day choral singing events and other occasions for choirs, singers and conductors.
There are 6 societies belonging to ECA:
Estonian Male Choirs Association
Estonian Society for Music Education
Estonian Mixed Choirs' Union
Estonian Female Song Society
Estonian Chamber Choirs' Union
Estonian Wind Music Association
Association of Estonian Choral Conductors
Children’s choirs belong to School Choirs’ Section of ECA. Altogether about 32 000 musicians belong to ECA, among them choristers, conductors, wind players and music teachers.
Estonian Choral Society is a member of the European Federation of Young Choirs Europa Cantat, and of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM).

etc. and etc.