Folk Music Concerts in Kodavere Heritage Centre: Juhan Uppin on Thumbpick Kannel

In summer 2024 three concerts will be organise in Pala village, Peipsiääre Municipality, where outstanding Estonian folk musicians share their unique talent. These concerts will be held in the yard of Kodavere Heritage Centre that has cozy atmosphere. In addition to good music visitors can enjoy tasty dishes by local food wizards. Concerts are part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024.

The first concert in the series of Murdemuusika will be given by Juhan Uppin on thumbpick kannel. This unique zither with double strings and powerful sound was esigned by Aksel Tähnas (1911-1997) and it was played widely at village feasts. This instrument was popular partucularly in eastern part of Estonia and Juhan Uppin is now one of the best players of thumpick kannel who studied the possibilities of the instrument in his PhD theses defended in 2022 at the Estonian Theatre and Music Academy.

Kodavere Heritage Centre has organised since 2020 monthly summer concerts of folk musicians who use in their repertoire regional dialects and local indigenous languages. For example during the first season concerts were given by sisters Triinu and Anu Taul who sing in Mulgi dialect, by the couple Meelika Hainsoo and Lauri Õunapuu who are experts of songs from Old Võromaa, and by world famous folk singer Mari Kalkun whose repertoire contains songs in Võro and Seto dialects, as well as in Liivi, Votian and Ingrian languages.

If you want to grab a bite or need a place to stay, see what the Tartu 2024 hospitality network offers in the area: https://tartu2024.ee/recommendations-peipsiaare