Achievements of the ITL Mixed Choir through the ages

In June 2022 the ITL Mixed Choir performed a brand new musical “Maailma parima laulukoor“ („The World’s Best Choir”) twice at the Kaja Culture Centre. The third performance was dedicated to the celebration of  ITL’s 20^th and ITL Segakoor’s 10^th  anniversaries, which had been postponed due to the Covid pandemic. At the beginning of June, the choir presented its new cheerful song video of composer Olav Ehala’s „Laul inimlikkusest“ (“Song of Humanity”). At the beginning of December there was a successful Estonian premiere of Martin Palmer’s Mass “Misa a Buenos Aires” at the Estonian Methodist Church in Tallinn. ITL Segakoor was accompanied by the singers of the project orchestra “Ventum”, soloist Maarja Purga, bandoneon virtuoso Kaspar Uljas, mixed choir „Vanalinna Segakoor“ and chamber choir “Kuule” (Finland). As part of the same concert, Urmas Sisask’s „Näärioratoorium“ (“Nääri oratorio”) was also performed together

In 2021, the ITL Mixed Choir plans to come on stage with a unique news musical. If the Covid pandemic allows, Christmas performances and a performance of J. Rutter’s Mass “The Children” with Latvian, Finnish and Estonian friendship choirs are planned.

In 2020, the ITL Mixed Choir celebrated its 10th birthday and the choir planned a number of nice performances and events, but lots of them where cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.
Choire attended at film “Kratt” and a jubilee concert with the lighting ceremony of “Night of Ancient Lights” on Prangli Island on August 29. Due to the Covid pandemic, the choir was forced to practice virtually in the Zoom environment, and Christmas performances were therefore canceled.

In 2019 the choir participated in two rounds of auditions successfully in the mixed choirs categorie and was selected to perform in the XXVII Song Celebration entitled “My Fatherland is My Love” on 6-7th of July – the 150 Years of Song, the Jubilee Year of Estonian Song and Dance celebration.  

There were many other exciting in the past year: the performance of J. Brahms’ “Ein Deutsches Requiem” in June at the Alexela Concert Hall with the Berkeley Community Chorus (USA), Pärnu City Orchestra and TTU Chamber Choir at the Alexela Concert Hall, participating in the new movie “Krat”, sending Admiral Bellingshausen to Antarctica, performing at the Song Festival „Vaba rahva laul“ in Pärnu in August and at the opening of the Ülemiste parking garage in December. At the end of the year in December, free Christmas concerts were given in the Alppila Church in Helisinki (Finland) with the mixed choir “Siller” and on the 4th of Advent in St. Jacob’s Church of EELK Viimsi with the women’s choir “Meretule” from Suurupi.

In January 2018, the choir, together with the Finnish Cantica choir, gave an Epiphany concert at the Nurmijärvi Church in Finland. In April, the choir plans to take part in the Estonian Chamber Choir Festival in Tartu, the Vaba Rahva Laul concert in Paide in August. In September, the choir biggest challenge of the year was participation in the International Choir Festival and Competition on the island of Corfu, in Greece and got awarded with silver certificate in folklore category. 

In May 2017, together with Cantica mixed choir from Finland, the mixed choir performed at a free spring concert at EELC St Jacob’s Church in Viimsi, and at the Museum of Coastal Folk in Viimsi. In August, the choir performed with Kaire Vilgats at Kaarma Night Song Festival (see image gallery in the Saarte Hääl web edition). In September, the mixed choir participated in yet another international choir festival workshop, ON STAGE in Lisbon 2017, in Portugal. During the festival, the choir performed alone and with other festival participants from other countries in three different grand churches in Lisbon Old Town, and it also performed short concerts in Lisbon city centre. The renowned choreographer Märt Agu helped the choir with choreography for the national pieces by Veljo Tormis for the festival in Portugal.

In April 2016, the choir gave a free public performance at EELC St Jacob’s Church in Viimsi with Noodimurdjad female choir. In May, the choir participated in the prestigious International Choir Competition and Festival Bad Ischl, in Austria. The choir competed in the mixed choir and folklore categories, and the performance was awarded a high-ranking silver diploma in both categories. 
On 20 August, the ITL mixed choir participated with other choirs from all over Estonia in the fifth Vaba Rahva Laul grand patriotic concert at Keila Song Festival Grounds, which was dedicated to Estonia’s 25^th Day of Restoration of Independence. During the Christmas month, the choir performed their Christmas programme in Sutlepa chapel in the Estonian Open Air Museum.

In 2015, the choir performed at the Pop Choir Festival in Tartu, III Punk Song Festival in Rakvere and IT College opening ceremony. In August, the choir celebrated its first jubilee – 5^th birthday – by performing at the Night of Ancient Bonfires at Viimsi Open Air Museum, which was also reported in the web version of the daily newspaper Postimees. At the end of the year, on 19 December, the choir gave a free public Christmas concert at EELC St Jacob’s Church in Viimsi with the Tallinn Old Town Mixed Choir. 

In the summer of 2014, the mixed choir participated in the XXVI Song Festival “Touched by Time. The Time to Touch” held at Tallinn Song Festival Grounds and included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, having previously successfully completed the challenging evaluation performances. The cyclists among the choir members also participated in carrying the ceremonial song and dance festival fire to the main festival ground. In autumn, the mixed choir participated in the prestigious choir festival and competition Canta al mar 2014, in Calella, Spain. The choir competed in the jazz category and the performance was awarded the silver diploma. The choir also traditionally gives Christmas concerts – in December 2014, they held free, public and charitable concerts at Keila Church and in Tallinn Hopner House.

In spring 2013, the ITL mixed choir successfully participated in the Venezia in Musica international choir festival and competition in Italy in the mixed choir and folklore categories, and it was awarded the gold diploma in both categories. With this result, the choir secured an automatic right to participate in the World Choir Games for the next five years.