We met up at noon at TSFG today for a short rehearsal of the Select Children’s Choir before we ate our lunch soup. After that we had one last chance to shop and get treats on the grounds. Despite the constant drizzle, slurpee-type drinks and ice cream were popular choices! Josie bought a cool 3-D printed dragon she named Snek. There was also time to sit together and braid one another’s hair. While waiting for the next activity there was also spontaneous singing: Joni Mitchell’s The Circle Game, and camp favorite I’ve Been Waiting.

In the late afternoon we met up for an exchange with the Wakayama choir from Japan. They sang some songs for us including Queen’s We Will Rock You. We sang Over the Rainbow, Old Joe Clark, and part of a Japanese folk song from Eric’s piece Nagasaki, which brought big smiles from the Japanese singers when they recognized it! The singers had a chance to introduce themselves to one another and chat for a bit. Mei impressed them by saying “nice to meet you” in Japanese. Naomi is excited for them to visit us or for us to visit them. Finally, they sang a song together. A large group of non-Estonians singing Sind vaid kiidan in perfect Estonian drew quite a crowd!

It was time for us to put on concert clothes and get ready for the Select Children’s Choir concert. They opened with Modal Etudes, which most of our singers learn as part of Concert Choir’s standard repertoire, thanks to Mr Brown. Then they killed it with Ringmängulaul and Sind vaid kiidan which the audience demanded an encore of. They finished with Oma mötete mets (and an encore of that too!).

A quick dinner (do you even have to ask what they ate?) and then on to the all-important tour Closing Circle. In a moment of serendipity, the sun finally came out as our circle began. Many tears were shed as singers expressed how special this Ensemble has been to them.

At last, it was the moment for the closing concert. Our singers squashed themselves into the stage area for the final three songs. Ensemble wasn’t even going to be in the closing concert but Aarne Saluveer, director of the ETV choirs pulled strings to get them included. Our singers have such strong musicianship skills that they were able to learn these songs in only a few rehearsals!

Our final exchange of this tour is our special meeting with the ETV girls for giving small gifts, singing more songs for one another, and saying tearful goodbyes to friends new and old. Aarne spoke in Estonian about Laulupidu and what it means to him. Emotions were high after such an incredible five days with our hosts having such unforgettable experiences here at Laulupidu. We sang Homeward Bound and many of the ETV girls were in tears.

This was the adventure of a lifetime, and I’m sure your singers will hold these precious memories in their hearts for years to come.

For now, it’s off to bed for a few hours before we rise early early to catch a ferry to Helsinki and begin our journey home. See you soon!