30 September 2018 Bel Air, MD
Estonian Art Exhibit at Liriodendron Mansion, Bel Air, MD
Practices will resume in January at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC.
Estonian Art Exhibit at Liriodendron Mansion, Bel Air, MD
Pillerkaar and BWES performed at the Liriodendron Mansion in Bel Air, Maryland on September 30, 2018
The weather was wonderful and spirits were high for the joint performance of Pillerkaar Estonian Folk Dancers and
the Baltimore Washington Estonian Singers (BWES) on Sunday, September 30, 2018 at the Liriodendron Mansion in
Bel Air, Maryland. This joint performance was a wonderful event all on its own but it was even more special as it
was the third of six events from September 16 to November 4 showcasing an art exhibit, Relationships - Art from
Estonia. Harford County Councilman James V. McMahan told the crowd the exhibit was two years in the making
and timed to celebrate the centennial year of Estonian independence. The six events and exhibit are indeed an
impressive demonstration of the vitality of Maryland's decades-long partnership with Estonia and the thriving
sister city partnership between Bel Air and Narva in particular. Its paintings, drawings, sculptures, and textiles are
all for sale, with proceeds benefiting the Narva artists.
Maryland's relationship with Estonia dates back to the early nineties, when Maryland's National Guard was
partnered with the Estonian Home Guard (Kaitseliit). In 2006 and 2009, the civilian partnership was established
between Maryland and Estonia, with Bel Air and Narva becoming sister cities in 2014. Toivo Tagamets and Barbara
Tower told Pillerkaar dancers how support from Bel Air and Narva city administrators for the partnership has been
enriched by citizen diplomats. Since Narva was interested in cooperating in health, Bel Air procured grants so that
three nurses and six nursing students from Harford Community College could travel to Narva in December 2017 to
provide workshops to more than 900 9-12 th graders on HIV AIDS prevention. Tower and Tagamets seek partners
to support additional activities in the areas of health, as well as education, workforce development, and cultural
exchange. To read more about the sister city partnership, see: https://www.belairmd.org/408/Sister-City-Narva-
For this Liriodendron Mansion performance, Pillerkaar Estonian Folk Dancers began with two choreographed
dances: Tule aga tule (Come, Oh Come), Vanaviisi valss (Old-Style Waltz), and circle dance, Külavalss (Village
Waltz). A myriad of BWES songs echoed in the warm indian summer pastoral setting of the Liriodendron Mansion
and was carried afar with the breezes: Tule meiega (Come with Us) composed by Albert Pettinen; Koit ( Dawn),
lyrics by Friedrich Kuhlbars, music by Mihkel Lüdig, and arranged by Harald Siiak; Mu süda usub õnne (My Heart
Believes in Joy), lyrics by Anna Haava and music by Piret Rips; Kauges külas (In a Faraway Village), lyrics by Kristiina
Ehin and music by Eeva Talsi; and Kaunimad laulud (The Most Beautiful Songs), lyrics by Peeter Ruubel Sand music
by Friedrich August Saebelmann.
Kaunimad laulud ( The Most Beautiful Songs) - lyrics by Peeter Ruubel, music by Friedrich August Saebelmann
After that beautiful medley of Estonian songs, Pillerkaar continued with circle dance Oige ja vasemba (Right and
Left), Raksi Jaak (Estonian version of Krakowiak), and the lively Kungla polka. Then singers then performed again
with: Ärkamise aeg (The Time of Awakening) composed by Rene Eespere; Leib jahtub (Bread Cools), lyrics by Leelo
Tungal and music by Andres Valkonen; Laul Põhjamaast (Song of the Northland), lyrics by Enn Vetemaa and music
by Ulo Vinter; and Ta lendab mesipuu poole (He Flies toward the Beehive), lyrics by Juhan Liiv and music by Miina
Härma and Peep Sarapik. Pillerkaar then danced Kalamies (Fisherman’s Dance) and jointly, with BWES, concluded
the performance with the rousing Tuljak (Wedding Song/Dance) lyrics by Karl Ferdinand Karlson and music by
Miina Härma. It was a riveting performance of Estonian music and dance.
Pillerkaar will be performing again at Baltimore’s German Christmas Village Festival in early December. Be on the
lookout for notices on Facebook: Pillerkaar Washington DC.
By Anu Oinas & Deborah Klepp