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-

Estonia.

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