Renowned Estonian choir Collegium Musicale sings Veljo Tormis’ Forgotten Peoples, a contemporary work based on nearly lost ancient folk song
About this event
SING! and Estonian Music Week (EMW) are teaming up to present top Estonian choir Collegium Musicale. For this concert Collegium Musicale will perform selections from Tormis’ Forgotten Peoples, a monumental choral work which brings to life nearly lost Balto-Finnic traditional songs. Collegium Musicale travelled to perform the work in its cultural birthplaces, which is also the subject of a recently released documentary. Let Collegium Musicale take you on this incredible journey with an emotionally charged performance.
Veljo Tormis
Veljo Tormis (1930-2017) is one of Estonia's most famous composers, renowned above all for his choral music. "I do not use folk song, it is folk song that uses me," said the composer of his approach. Forgotten Peoples is a six suite song cycle that forges a unique and original modern classical composition with song heritage of nearly lost indegenous Balto-Finnic cultures. The work bears echoes of the tonality of Bartok and Stravinsky, with the minimalist compositional structure of Arvo Pärt. The work is complex and unique with elements ranging from animal sounds to polyphony, and chant.
Collegium Musicale
Renowned Estonian choir Collegium Musicale captivates audiences with their high-calibre performances and powerful sound. The group’s repertoire extends from renaissance to contemporary music, including oratorios and operas. A very special place in their repertoire belongs to Estonian contemporary composers including Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis and Erkki-Sven Tüür. Collegium Musicale’s mission is to offer a dynamic range of musical emotions and be ambassadors of Estonian music throughout the world. During its 11 year history, the choir has enjoyed many international collaborations, frequent concert tours and performances at the top tier festivals. The choir is in high demand, giving approximately 40 concerts a year. Collegium Musicale has been recognized with numerous awards including Choir of the Year in Estonia, a distinction the group has received three times. Conductor Endrik Üksvärav is well known in his own right, debuting as a conductor of the Estonian Song Festival in 2019, conducting a choir of some 20,000 singers and to an audience of over 60,000.
Conductor Endrik Üksvärav (b. 1980) has received degrees from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in conducting (BA and MA) and has studied the trumpet and French horn. In 2012 he began his studies in early music singing at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague (the Netherlands). He participated as the tenor soloist in Arvo Pärt and Robert Wilson’s “Adam’s Lament”. In addition to Estonia, Üksvärav is also active as conductor and singer in various countries in Europe, foremost in the Netherlands. In 2018, the King of the Netherlands decorated Endrik Üksvärav with a medal of the Order of Orange Nassau “for special merits for society”. 2019 July marked Endrik Üksvärav’s debut as a conductor of the Estonian Song Festival, conducting a choir of some 20,000 singers and to an audience of over 60,000.
SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival
SING! is Canada’s premier a cappella festival (singing without instruments). Held every year in May, SING! presents 10 days of outstanding concerts featuring the human voice. Started in 2011 on a shoestring budget with 7 enthusiasts, SING! Is now the largest a cappella festival in Canada. Each year, SING! brings together thousands of professional singers (Canadian and international), students, teachers, divas and in-the-shower belters.
COVID-19 Precautions
We will continue to follow public health guidelines and reserve the right to review and update policies as the situation changes, including vaccination status and masking requirements. If you have a particular concern, please reach out to us and we will do our best to accommodate. We will continue to require vaccinations for performers, backstage crew, theatre staff and volunteers for SING!-produced events.*
This concert is presented by Sing! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival and Estonian Music Week.
Major Funding for this project is provided by the Estonian Foundation of Canada.
Estonian Music Week is a project by Estonian Museum Canada / VEMU.
Support: Estonian Integration Foundation, Estonian Embassy in Ottawa, Estonian Ministry of Culture