Eesti Muusika Päevad 2026 ''LOOD'' / EMP 2026
Sa 11.04.2026 - Su 19.04.2026
Estonian Music Days 2025 ‘STORIES’
11–19 April 2026 in Tallinn, Laulasmaa, Tartu
Storytelling is one of the most central dimensions of being human. Man is a narrative being; we make sense of the world through stories. Stories are like an axis, a driving force through which we love, hate, wage war, build, and create. We have evolved through a narrative evolution, where more effective and compelling stories have pushed aside the weaker ones.
However, stories reach us not only through language and words but touch us through all possible artistic mediums. Perhaps some of the most powerful stories are those that operate beyond words and concepts. They often work even more directly and shake us more deeply than their verbal versions.
Musical stories are surely as old as humanity, if not older. It has been suggested that humans began to sing before they began to speak. This means that musical stories reached us first; they are something we need, something we still long for and reach out to find.
Within the framework of EMP (Estonian Music Days), new stories are being created, while older, more archaic tales are being weighed, gauged, and brought into the modern day.
FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
▩ 11.04 St. John’s Church, Tallinn: Ellerhein Girls’ Choir | M. Valkonen*, K. Matson*, V. Tormis, A. Pärt, U. Sisask
▩ 11.04 Club Hall: „The Birth of Light“ | Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, E. Kont, V. Krigul, J. Mikk | M. Rostovtseva*, A. I. Susi*, L. Jürgens*
▩ 11.04 Estonia Concert Hall Café | Panel Discussion: What is the Breeding Ground for New Music Theatre? (free admission, max 30 participants, see the 0-ticket from pre-sale)
▩ 11.04 Estonia Concert Hall: Estonian National Male Choir & Ensemble of the Estonian Electronic Music Society | A. Kruusmaa*, J. Tarm*, G. J. Salumäe* jt
▩ 12.04 MUBA: String Quartet M4GNET | A.-M. Noorhani*, T. Kozlova-Johannes*, G. Kulla*, M. M. Gildemann*
▩ 12.04 House of Blackheads (Olaf’d Guild Hall) | „Estonian Music Abroad“
▩ 12.04 Estonian Centre for Contemporary Music | Panel Discussion – Freedom, Boundaries, and Sounds: The Paths of Estonian Contemporary Music in the World (free admission, max 30 participants, see the 0-ticket from pre-sale)
▩ 13.04 Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre Concert Hall, Main Hall: EMTA sinfonietta | Student New Works
▩ 14.04 Estonian National Opera Chamber Hall: Ludensemble | M. Liik*, E. Masing*, L. Jõeleht*, M. M. Gildemann, J. Reinvere
▩ 14.04 Estonian Centre for Contemporary Music | Residentuu:r 2026: Transmission. Communication. Media 3 (free admission, max 30 participants, see the 0-ticket from pre-sale)
▩ 15.04 Estonian National Opera Chamber Hall: Broken Frames Syndicate (Germany) „HELLO DARKNESS“ | A. Thorvaldsdottir, P. Schäfer, S. Hennies, M. Maltis, T. Kozlova-Johannes*, M. Gordon
▩ 16.04 St. John’s Chuch, Tallinn: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir & Cantoque Ensemble (Iceland) | H. Tulve*, R. E. Maimets*, H. Guðmundsson*, F. Martin
▩ 17.04 Estonia Concert Hall: Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, H. C. Aavik, H.-R. Leivategija, S. d’Amico | L. Hirsch*, R. E. Maimets, E.-S. Tüür, L. Sumera
▩ 18.04 Musical Tartu City Tour with Alo Põldmäe (free admission, 30 bus vacancies, see the 0-ticket from pre-sale)
▩ 18.04 Heino Eller Tartu Music College, Tubin Hall: „Young Composer“ Competition Final Concert, free admission
▩ 18.04 University of Tartu Museum: Quiet Music Ensemble (Ireland) | L. Hõbepappel*, M.-M. Lill*, K. Power, A. Murray
▩ 18.04 Tartu Literature House: Stories in Word and Music | A. R. Varres, R. Jürjendal, K. Ehin, U. Vadi, V. Mikita
▩ 19.04 Tallinn City Tour with Jan Kaus
▩ 19.04 Heino Eller Tartu Music College, Tubin Hall: String Quartet M4GNET | A.-M. Noorhani*, T. Kozlova-Johannes*, G. Kulla*, M. M. Gildemann*
▩ 19.04 Arvo Pärt Centre: Quiet Music Ensemble (Ireland) | L. Hõbepappel*, M.-M. Lill*, K. Power, A. Murray
The organizer reserves the right to make changes to the program.
More information:
Sa 11.04.2026 • 13:00
Ellerhein / EMP 2026 / TMW 2026
Jaani kirik, Tallinn
Sa 11.04.2026 • 15:00
Kontsert-etendus ''Valguse sünd'' / Tallinna Kammerorkester / EMP 2026 / TMW 2026
Klubi Hall
Free admission
Sa 11.04.2026 • 17:30
Vestlusring - mille pinnalt tärkab uus muusikateater? / EMP 2026
Estonia kontserdisaal, Tallinn
Su 12.04.2026 • 15:00
M4GNET / EMP 2026
Tallinna Muusika- ja Balletikool MUBA
Su 12.04.2026 • 18:00
''Ulgu-Eesti muusika kontsert'' Eesti Nüüdismuusika Keskuses / EMP 2026
Tallinna Filharmoonia Mustpeade Maja
Free admission
Su 12.04.2026 • 20:00
Vestlusring - vabadus, piirid ja helid: Eesti nüüdismuusika teekonnad maailmas / EMP 2026
Eesti Nüüdismuusika Keskus
Free admission
Tu 14.04.2026 • 15:30
Residentu:r / EMP 2026
Eesti Nüüdismuusika Keskus
Tu 14.04.2026 • 18:00
Ludensemble / EMP 2026
Rahvusooper Estonia, Tallinn
We 15.04.2026 • 21:00
Broken Frame Syndicate (Saksamaa) / EMP 2026
Rahvusooper Estonia, Tallinn
Th 16.04.2026 • 18:00
Eesti Filharmoonia Kammerkoor & Cantoque Ensemble (Island) / EMP 2026
Jaani kirik, Tallinn
Free admission
Sa 18.04.2026 • 12:00
Muusikaline linnatuur Alo Põldmäega / EMP 2026
Tartu südalinn
Sa 18.04.2026 • 18:00
Quiet Music Ensemble (Iirimaa) Tartus / EMP 2026
Tartu Ülikooli muuseum, Tartu
Sa 18.04.2026 • 20:00
Lood sõnas ja muusikas / EMP 2026
Tartu Kirjanduse Maja
Su 19.04.2026 • 13:00
Linnatuur Jan Kausiga / EMP 2026
Tallinna linn
Su 19.04.2026 • 16:00
Quiet Music Ensemble (Iirimaa) Laulasmaal / EMP 2026
Arvo Pärdi Keskus
Su 19.04.2026 • 18:00
Keelpillikvartett M4GNET Tartus / EMP 2026
Heino Elleri Muusikakooli Tubina saal