Sophie Peng, China: It's an honor to take part

Sophie Peng is an ethnographer living in Tallinn and has been involved with Estonia for over a decade since she started learning Estonian in China at university.

She started conducting and singing in an Estonian choir in Beijing and hoped to participate in the 2017 youth Song Festival, but the group fell apart.

After moving to Estonia to pursue her master's and PhD studies, Sophie joined the Ziemeļu Balsis, the Latvian Choir in Estonia, in 2022 and sings the tenor's parts.

"They were looking for people who 'are willing to sing in Latvian'," the researcher explains. "I learned Latvian back in my Beijing student years, and I was looking for a choir to join, so that's how everything started with my Estonian Latvian choir."

Last year, she performed in the Tartu Song Festival with the group as well as the Latvian and Lithuanian equivalents. 

"If my research work part was 'theory,' then the laulupidu experience itself got to be the "practice" — both are very much important regarding better understanding Estonia and Estonians," the researcher says.

Sophie attended the Song Festival in 2019 and is looking forward to creating new memories. The preparation for the Song Festival has been enjoyable and given her the chance to spend a lot of time with friends in both Tallinn and Tartu, she says.

"Knowing the importance of the Song Festival in an Estonian context, I feel it is an honor to be part of it," she tells ERR News. "I always dreamt of participating in laulupidu even from that time when I was conducting this small Estonian student choir in Beijing. So this year means a lot to me."

David Winter, Zimbabwe: I want to show my kids music is cool

Zimbabwean David Winter has lived in Estonia for around seven years, having moved to the country with his Estonian wife after the birth of their first child.

Last autumn, he joined his local choir, the Kiili Kammerkoor, with the goals of singing in this year's Song Festival, getting a better understanding of the culture of his adopted homeland and meeting more Estonians.

"And also to show my kids that music is cool and part of their heritage as Estonians," he says. "I've had a great reception from everyone I've told I'm singing, particularly my wife's family, who I think are quite proud that I am doing it."

But there have also been other benefits, such as helping develop his Estonian language skills and integrating into local life.

"Being part of something like a small local choir introduced me to plenty of people living around me, and I have been more involved in local things. Such as singing for a lady whose house burnt down in Kiili last year. We had a charity concert to fundraise to help her rebuild," he adds.

David says he has no expectations about the event, but is looking forward to singing with such a large group of people and hoping for good weather.

Robert Davis, UK: It's part of my own story in Estonia

Robert Davis has lived in Estonia for 15 years and works as a research fellow at the University of Tartu's Department of Zoology. He plays bassoon in the Tartu University Symphony Orchestra.

This will not be his first Song Festival, having participated in several events since 2014. This time around, the preparation has been relatively simple, he says.

"I feel I know what to expect. Lots of singing, music and flag waving. More importantly, thousands of people coming together and enjoying the whole occasion. If it's sunny, all the better, but that's hope more than expectation – it's not always that way!" he tells ERR News.

Explaining why he wants to participate in the Song Festival, Robert explains: "It's like no experience I've had playing in the U.K. It's a lot of fun playing as part of an enormous combined orchestra in front of thousands of people. I know it's a really important event for Estonians and it feels good to be part of it."

He also encouraged other foreigners living in Estonia to participate in or watch the performances.

Asked if it helped him integrate into Estonia, Robert says: "One thing that's very clear from participating in the Song Festival is the great sense of national pride Estonians have. Maybe joining in has been part of my integration – at least it's part of my own story in Estonia."

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