Estimated duration

1 h 10 min., no intermission

Organizer

Cantamus Choir

Three choirs from Estonia, Finland and the USA will meet for the first time on Saturday, June 7th, and will perform their own and fresh joint repertoire!

This cultural exchange is sure to be a treat for the ears with a hundred talented singers.

Cantamus was founded at Iowa State University in 2000 with the principal goal to diversify the repertoire, practice, and reach of treble-voice ensembles. Our repertoire spans from early works to premieres by living composers, and from the annals of Western classical music to oral-tradition folk music and experimental contemporary pieces. Over 95% of Cantamus singers are non-music majors and the ensemble forms a strong community while singing together. Cantamus is directed by Dr. Jennifer Rodgers, the Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Iowa State. Jennifer’s career and teaching is dedicated to building bridges between musical genres, choral and solo voice singers, and musicians in their communities.

Vino Ensemble is a colorful soprano and alto choir founded in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area in 2023, which has already attracted a lot of interest with its fresh look and repertoire during its short career. The choir brings together young adults who have a taste for choral music, many of whom grew up in children’s and youth choirs. Vino Ensemble’s repertoire covers classical music from the Middle Ages to the present day, and the works are approached with a voraciously ambitious approach. Vino strives to represent diverse voices in its repertoire choices and to enliven performances with interdisciplinary elements. Viena Kangas has been the choir’s artistic director since its founding.

Female Choir Kevad (meaning “Spring” in Estonian) was founded on September 1, 2006, with the goal of qualifying for the National Song Festival in 2007. The choir originally brought together young women from the Nõmme Cultural Center’s musical theatre group and various local ensembles. Since 2015, the choir has been led by Õnne-Ann Roosvee, who serves as both Principal Conductor and Artistic Director. Under her guidance, Kevad has performed at numerous Song Festivals and choral events throughout Estonia and Europe. The choir’s most notable achievement came at the 2023 World Choir Games in Gangneung, where Kevad earned a Gold Diploma and won the Female Chamber Choir Open Category. In 2025, they continued their success at the Lisbon Sings competition, receiving another Gold Diploma and winning Category B.