So you wanted to participate in Ethno this summer but, by an uncomfortable set of circumstances, missed the application deadline? No worries, there are still other ways of enjoying the awesome 2015 season camps, as they are proliferating all over Europe and throughout festivals.
If the Ethno participants start rehearsing in a peaceful and breathtaking settings, at the end of the week they usually introduce the music they composed to the audience of various and colourful music festivals. Following the crazy performances of Ethno England and Ethno Sweden, we thought it was time to provide a brief overview of these great projects in close connection with the Ethno camps. Pack your bags!
Tandem Festival, England, 19th – 21st June
Thanks to the Tandem Festival folk lovers, Ethno England has been brought back to life this summer after a 7 years break. This eco-friendly festival is about bringing “arts to new audiences whilst celebrating vibrant cultures from across Europe”, thus totally in line with Ethno values and objectives. By perfectly associating three days of concerts and workshops (dance, theatre, music) with solidarity concerns and environmental respect, Tandem definitely is a model for collective initiatives. Our musicians delivered a great show on the first day!
Musik vid Siljan, Sweden, 2nd – 5th July
Created in 1969, Music vid Siljan has since become one of Sweden’s biggest summer music events, a festival about tradition in continuous development and innovation. Just after midsummer (or midsommar), when the sun is at its highest in Sweden, this folk music festival offers concerts, games and workshops designed for the whole family in a splendid environment. Ethno Sweden, first of its name, celebrated its 25th anniversary at the festival with the famous and versatile Ale Moller as a guest musician. Sold out house for the first time! Watch him after the gig, going crazy with all the participants:
Medunarodna smotra folklora, Croatia, 15th – 19th July
Also known as the International Folklore Festival, Medunarodna smotra folklora is one of the top events of folklore expressions in Croatia. Its effort towards the conservation and valorization of Croatian national and regional cultures led to the Croatian Ministry of Culture and the city of Zagreb’s declaration of the festival as an event of national significance. But it doesn’t limit itself to national heritage; the International Folklore Festival also aims to “present and promote traditional values of all nations and cultures, contributing to the efforts of preserving cultural diversities in the globalized world”. The 49th edition of the festival will be dedicated to the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, a beautiful region with an ancient culture. Book your ticket, only five days remaining before the start of the festival! Ethno Croatia is performing there on the 15th of July.
Viljandi Folk Music Festival, Estonia, 23rd – 26th July
The history of the Viljandi Folk Music Festival is closely linked to Ethno. In the early 90s, the funders of the festival, students at the Viljandi Culture College, took the risk of attending Sweden Ethno music camp in spite of the strict border regulations imposed by the Soviet Union. Right after this inspiring experience, they started to organize the Viljandi Folk Music Festival. If they were only 200 participants in 1993, the festival now welcome 25,000 music lovers each year, which makes it the largest annual music festival in Estonia but also on the largest folk music festivals in Europe!
With no surprise, the funders, galvanized by the success of the festival and their participation in Ethno Sweden, spun off the first youth traditional music study camp in 1997 which has by now grown into Ethno Estonia. With about a hundred participants, it is also one of the biggest Ethno in the world. Don’t miss the Ethno performance on Friday 24 July, just before some folk music big names.
Andanças, Portugal, 3rd – 9th August
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this summer, Andanças (wandering in Portuguese) brings people together every year from different walks in life, in a spirit of exchange and promotion of folk music and dance, spreading knowledge through generations and cultures. At Andancas you’ll have the chance to learn more than 50 different dance styles while sharing and crossing proposals for a better world and about local development. Good program isn’t it?
Oh, and as the Tandem Festival, Andacas insists on environmental issues and is intended to be a space free of pollution. So leave your city for a few days and come enjoy the fresh air of Portugal in Castelo de Vide. Ethno Portugal is playing there on August 3rd! Enjoy this teaser; it should awaken your appetite for this unique festival.
Dranouter Festival, Belgium, 7th – 9th August
Last but not least, the quite big Dranouter festival. Created in 1975 by the people of the youth club “De Zon”, this Flemish folk music event now welcomes more than 60,000 festival-goers. Ethno Flanders will be playing there along with Asaf Avidan, Calexico and the Red Hot Chilli……… Pipers! Definitely worth the trip to Dranouter.