"A Different Home"

The Williams College Concert and Chamber choirs, of which I am a humble member, presented an all-Estonian program last Friday evening in Thompson Chapel. Not to be confused with Molvania, the tiny nation of Estonia is situated on the Baltic sea and is reputed to have more choirs per capita than any other country in the world. The program included several folksong settings (from the evocatively titled "Dung-Throwing Song" to the haunting "Suitors from the Sea") in addition to sacred and secular compositions of recent and contemporary Estonian composers.

Many of us older choir members were in fact privileged to have visited Estonia while touring in the Baltic two years ago. The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the colorful song and dance festival in the rural village of Keila, but the capital city of Tallinn (above left) was also the site of many memorable moments. On one particular evening, a medieval restaurant in the Old City was treated to an impromptu performance of Renaissance drinking songs courtesy of myself and other members of the Elizabethans who happened to be in attendance, much to the delight of the patrons (whose applause was immediately followed by a request for "Happy Birthday") and of the staff, who gave us free drinks. Other incidents bordered on the surreal, notably the sushi delivery truck pictured at left and the posters advertising Mr. T's T-Party ("I pity the fool who doesn't come to my T-Party!").

If you're thinking of visiting this fascinating country, which I strongly advise if you happen to be in the neighborhood, I recommend the ferry from Stockholm on a summer evening. Just watch out for those Estonian pirates.

More choir pictures on WSO's Photoshare.