The Tampere Vocal Music Festival was held as a virtual festival online for the first time ever on 9–13 June 2021 and was a success in terms of views and of viewer experiences. The total number of views for Festival events was 17,000, and the visitor survey showed that our audiences were pleased with what they saw and heard and also with our Festival arrangements.
The videos containing concert performances and documentaries produced for the Festival were live streamed during the Festival dates and then remained available online for about two weeks. ANÚNA and SØNK were the most popular videos, and a large number of views was also gained by the music videos released in our social media channels, Maalaulu [Earth song] and Virtuaalinen Bassokuoro [Virtual bass choir]. The International Contest for Vocal Ensembles was also held virtually for the first time ever; the Grand Prix was awarded to AORA from Sweden.
The visitor survey showed that audiences were happy that the Festival was organised at all, even if it had to be held online by force of necessity. Much positive feedback was given for the diversity and artistic quality of the videos presented. Yet many visitors also expressed great regret at being deprived of the social interaction and the Chorus Review.
“We understand this sentiment all too well. We feel your pain. Unfortunately, postponing the Festival to the autumn or to next year was not an option. Tampere Music Festivals runs two other festivals: the Tampere Jazz Happening in the autumn and the Tampere Biennale, the next edition of which is scheduled for next spring. Our annual calendar does not allow for any festival to be shifted,” says Executive Director Minnakaisa Kuivalainen.
“We abandoned the Chorus Review, because most choirs were unable to meet at all due to the various restrictions on gatherings. But it will certainly return in the future, because the Chorus Review is one of the oldest events of the Festival and, in a sense, its backbone.”
The next Tampere Vocal Music Festival will be held on 14—18 June 2023 under our new Artistic Director Kari Turunen.