MISSION STATEMENT
To showcase the high caliber and creative diversity of Estonian and Estonian-Canadian artists
To create a space for collaboration between Estonian and Canadian artists
BACKGROUND
Estonian Studies Centre (ESC) was founded in 2009 to collect and preserve the archives and libraries of Canadian Estonians. Under the ESC umbrella, The Museum of Estonians Abroad (VEMU) organizes 50-70 events every year including conferences, exhibitions, seminars, lectures, film and theatre nights, workshops and concerts. The largest event being Estonian Music Week. Performers have come from Canada and Estonia, but also USA, Sweden, Australia, the UK etc.
As one of the main goals of ESC is to preserve the Estonian language, a large part of our program is in Estonian and directed towards the Estonian community in Canada and compatriots in Estonia. To increase international awareness of Estonian history and culture, and the contributions Canadian-Estonians have made in Canada, we also offer a wide range of English language events. We consider our audience to be our own community members (who were deprived of the opportunity to learn about Estonian culture in the diaspora for the 50 years of Soviet occupation), but also the larger multicultural community in Canada.
An early programming highlight was a performance by Estonian National Opera Boys Choir in Koerner Hall in 2016 with a symposium and exhibit, organized in collaboration with the Estonian Singers Association in North America, the Estonian Theatre and Music Museum. The program honoured the 100th birthday celebration of the recognized Canadian Estonian composer and conductor Roman Toi, who is also a former lecturer at the Royal Ontario Conservatory.
Estonian Music Week began as part of the international centennial celebrations of the Republic of Estonia in 2018. This first festival featured 19 performances, 2 exhibits and 1 commissioned composition. Building on the success of the first festival, ESC organized a hybrid music festival and technology conference in 2019. The 2 day digital technology summit was followed by 3 days of music programming. We began live-streaming our concerts on Facebook and YouTube in 2020/21, which have been watched by over 5000 people from all around the world.
LAND AKNOWLEDGEMENT
Estonian Music Week acknowledges and thanks the original caretakers and knowledge keepers of this territory: the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Chippewa and the Anishinaabeg, The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Wendat Confederacy, and all Indigenous peoples. We honour Treaty 13 and Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant and take seriously our responsibility to peaceably share and care for the resources that surround us. We are honoured to work, create and be inspired in this meeting place called Tkaronto, together with the many First Nations, Inuit and Métis people from across Turtle Island.