Laulupidu is not just one of the largest choral events in the world. It's a more than 150-year-old Estonian tradition born out of an aspiration to attain national self-determination after centuries of being ruled over by foreign powers.

"It is certainly a major concert with high-quality musical value," said Heli Jürgenson, artistic director for laulupidu. "But in its own way, it is like a religious service of our people, where we affirm our faith in being Estonians."

This year's theme is "Iseoma," meaning "Kinship." It focuses on bringing together the Estonian diaspora and regional groups.

"We sing about family, home, love, Estonia, nature, being human, the power of song," Jürgenson said. This year's Song Festival will put a special focus on the richness of our language — dialects."

More than 31,000 people, including members of 31 international choirs, will sing on stage after more than a year of practices and auditions, according to the festival organizers. 

All of the choirs come together to kick off the first day, singing three songs from the repertoire. Then individual choirs, such as children's and men's choirs, have their own performances. 

The last day (July 6) is the biggest, when all the choirs come together again to sing nine more songs. 

Struggle for independence

The Song Festival has played a pivotal role in Estonia's struggle for independence. Singing became a form of protest and a tool to build unity as a people with their own culture, language and national identity, according to the "Carrying Your Own Tune" exhibition at Tartu Song Celebration Museum. 

"Estonians are quite introverted people and do not express their thoughts and feelings very openly," Jürgenson said. "Through songs, our nature opens up in a special way... This unity and the greatness and strength of our people are expressed precisely at the Song Festival and through songs."

Beginning in the 13th century, outside forces and surrounding neighbors began conquering Estonia. Estonians would not achieve independence for the next 700 years. 

In 1721, the Russian Empire took control of the region while Baltic Germans ruled over Estonian peasants. As literacy spread among Estonians, the desire for freedom and self-expression spread during the mid-19th century, a period known as "The Great Awakening." 

Interest in the Estonian language, literature, music and art began to grow. Literature like "Kalevipoeg" by Friedrich Kreutzwaldi, considered the Estonian national epic, and patriotic poetry from Lydia Koidula helped establish a sense of national pride and Estonian individualism. 

First Song Festival and independent Estonia

The first laulupidu took place in 1869 in Tartu as a manifestation of these growing feelings of nationalism, according to the Estonian Song and Dance Festival Foundation (Eesti Laulu- ja Tantsupeo Sihtasutus).

Only two original Estonian songs were sung: "Mu isamaa on minu arm" ("My fatherland is my love") and "Sind surmani" ("Until death"), which were derived from the texts of Koidula and composed by Aleksander Kunileiu. 

The success of the first song festivals led to plans to hold the next. From 1879 to 1910, six song festivals took place. 

"The Song Festival is older than the Republic of Estonia," Jürgenson said. 

During the Russian Revolution, Estonians saw an opportunity to seize their sovereignty. On February 24, 1918, Estonia declared independence and became a republic.  

The next day, German troops invaded Estonia. But Germany's defeat in World War I forced them to retreat from Estonia. The Russian Bolsheviks quickly invaded again, sparking the Estonian War of Independence that lasted about one year until the Treaty of Tartu was signed, effectively defeating Soviet Russia and securing victory in 1920. 

In 20 years, Estonia quickly modernized as an independent nation. Song celebrations continued to be held, further cementing Estonia's national identity and sense of solidarity. 

The tradition of holding song festivals every five years was also established during this time. Since 1928, the general song festival has taken place on the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. 

Soviet propaganda and banned songs

However, World War II and the subsequent occupations interrupted Estonia's ability to hold song festivals until 1947, the first to occur during the 50 years of Soviet occupation.  

While festivals continued to be held, the Soviet forces used them to further their own political agendas. Choirs were forced to sing Soviet propaganda songs and politicize the event.

At the 1947 concert, Gustav Ernesaks composed his version of "Mu isamaa on minu arm," which had been originally first set to music by Kunileiu at the first song festival. 

Ernsaks' version grew in popularity, eventually becoming the unofficial anthem and a rallying cry of resistance to the Soviet Union. 

During the 1950s, "Mu isamaa on minu arm" was one of several original Estonian songs to be banned from being sung at the song festival until 1965. 

But singing forbidden songs became a symbol of unity and resistance, according to "The Singing Revolution" documentary film. 

Toward the end of the performances, often without the direction of a conductor, choirs would start singing songs not allowed in the official repertoire, including "Mu isamaa on minu arm." 

At the 1969 song festival, which marked 100 years since the tradition began, choirs on stage and audience members defiantly sang "Mu isamaa on minu arm" repeatedly. Soviet officers ordered singers to leave the stage and tried to drown out the singing by ordering a military band to play, which singers ignored, according to "The Singing Revolution" movie. 

The Singing Revolution and modern times

As cracks in the Soviet Union's power mounted in the 1980s, enthusiasm to publicly oppose Soviet occupation also grew. Singing became a strategically non-violent method of resistance, a way to express the desire for freedom without bloodshed.  

"Thanks to the Song Festival, we have emerged from many difficult situations in history without casualties," Jürgenson said. 

Mikhail Gorbachev, the president of the Soviet Union at the time, introduced the policy of "Glasnost" which eased restrictions on freedom of speech. As a result, songs emphasizing Estonian identity and the desire for self-determination could not be forcibly suppressed. 

In the mid-1980s, several new Estonian rock songs became anthems for independence. Beginning in 1987, large gatherings for singing patriotic tunes happened beyond the official song festival, fostering a stronger sense of national identity and further encouraging Estonians to reclaim their sovereignty. 

The "Singing Revolution" culminated in August 1991 as the Soviet Union began to collapse and a coup from hardline communists attempted to gain power. Resistance to Soviet forces trying to reclaim control over Estonia was successful, and Estonia declared independence on August 20. 

Since gaining freedom, the tradition of song festivals has continued. About every five years, tens of thousands of Estonians gather to perform both traditional and newer songs, further strengthening a patriotic spirit. 

The interruption of the Covid-19 pandemic delaying the Song Festival by one year, and the Russia-Ukraine war have led to an even greater desire for Estonians to come together in song this summer. 

"Estonians need to come together. They need support and strength from each other," said conductor Hirvo Surva during the Global Estonian Virtual Forum in June. "I think the Song and Dance Festival is where they can feel this belonging together, being shoulder to shoulder with each other."

"We believe that these concerts will be very powerful," Jürgenson said. "I sense that the choirs are really looking forward to this festival, have practiced a lot and are already looking forward to gathering and singing on the stage with all their hearts." 

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