Estonian Singing Traditions as an Impetus for Community Building and Expressing Estonian Cultural Heritage in Australia
File version
Author(s)
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Norton, Kay
Morgan-Ellis, Esther M
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract
This chapter examines how singing traditions from Estonia have inspired the creation of a community of singers in Australia, strengthened connections within the Estonian Australian community, and allowed Estonian Australians to express and share their cultural heritage locally and overseas. Choral singing has long been part of Estonian culture, and the Singing Revolution (1986-1991) saw Estonians sing their way to independence from the Soviet Union. Laulupidu (f. 1869) is a large choral festival in Tallin that holds special significance for Estonian people. Many Estonians fleeing Soviet and German occupation during World War II settled in Australia, and the choral traditions associated with Laulupidu came with the diaspora. A small group of Estonian Australians aspired to perform at Laulupidu and so established the Kooskõlas community choir, a Sydney group that auditioned for and performed at the festival in 2014. Kooskõlas re-formed in 2017, expanding into a nationwide choir, and 70 singers from five Australian states performed at the next Laulupidu in 2019. These successes have had a resounding impact, enabling interstate community connections and new opportunities for Estonian cultural expression across a large country, with the nationwide choir continuing in an ongoing capacity beyond the scope of the original Laulupidu project.
Journal Title
Conference Title
Book Title
The Oxford Handbook of Community Singing
Edition
Volume
Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Cultural studies
Musicology and ethnomusicology
Persistent link to this record
Citation
Cooper, N, Estonian Singing Traditions as an Impetus for Community Building and Expressing Estonian Cultural Heritage in Australia, The Oxford Handbook of Community Singing, 2024, pp. 579-599