Behind the Scenes at the Estonian Traditional Music Center

Traditional music, as creative producer and musician Lee Taul says, is a foundation that can be built upon with one’s own ideas, personality, and creativity. As her colleague Margit Kuhi, in charge of ETHNO Estonia, explains, there’s not a separation of old and new. What’s traditional and what’s cutting edge work together.

These are the kinds of philosophies at play in Viljandi at the Estonian Traditional Music Center, the organizers of ETHNO camps for youth and adults and Viljandi Folk Music Festival ( @viljandifolk ). In the latest episode of EstoCast, we hear from these leaders about:

🎻The method in which music is taught by ear at the centre

🪗How participants find their ideal roles in the music world or skills for other occupations

🏛️The value of community for musicians amidst the individualistic approach of music today

🎵and much more!

People, concepts, and creations mentioned in this episode include:

-The Estonian Traditional Music Center: https://folk.ee/ 

-Viljandi Folk Music Festival: https://www.viljandifolk.ee/en 

-ETHNO Estonia: https://ethno.world/ethno/estonia/ 

-Lee Taul’s album “Like Moths to a Flame”: https://open.spotify.com/album/5IJMP5XfHLmz5nTiyyTdFA 

-Town of Viljandi: https://visitviljandi.ee/en/ 

-The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre: https://eamt.ee/en/

-Heino Elleri Muusikakool: https://www.tmk.ee

-Learning music with sheet music compared to learning by ear: https://katherinemoller.ca/tips-tricks-learning-by-ear-vs-reading-sheet-music-which-is-the-better-way-to-learn-the-fiddle/ 

-Natalie Jenkins’ article in Eesti Elu about ETHNO, in conversation with Katariina Jaenes: https://eestielu.ca/finding-connection-in-music-katariina-jaenes-experience-at-ethno/ 

-Luke Dante: https://eestielu.ca/professional-spotlight-luke-dante-one-of-the-sound-effect-wizards-behind-paw-patrol/ 

-Kertu-Liis Õnnis: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2xutqvdSnNaJgeLU3DDM8j?si=tcE7&nd=1&dlsi=045a3d764e5f424f

-More about the instrument known as the kannel: https://organology.net/instrument/kannel/ 

-Viljandi Culture Academy: https://viljandi.ut.ee/en