Tallinn Music Week provides three Ukrainian artists with free sound residency and accommodation in Tallinn
The international music and city festival Tallinn Music Week (TMW) provides free sound residency and accommodation in the Estonian capital to Ukrainian artists FO SHO, Gentle Ropes and Krapka;KOMA. A total of five Ukrainian artists will perform at the TMW 2022 festival.
Residencies will be hosted by recording studio Studio89 and a multi-functional space run by Estonian band OOPUS. Both studios provide residents with workspace, technical facilities and mentoring, enabling them to either record new music or pursue their unfinished works and network with local musicians. Residencies take place in May and June, according to the artist’s needs. All artists will also receive free accommodation in Tallinn during their residency.
The artists-in-residence were selected from the applications of Ukrainian musicians submitted to TMW during March and April. All three artists will also perform at the upcoming festival that takes place in Tallinn and Narva on 4 – 6 May.
“All three artists were forced to leave their homeland,” says Terje Trochynskyi, manager of educational programmes at TMW. She adds: “In addition to performances, they are looking for a chance to complete their unfinished works in Estonia in collaboration with our musicians who could support them either in recording drum parts or creating new beats. One of the residents is planning to stay here longer and is also willing to apply his skills in the service of the studio.“
About the residents
FO SHO is an Ethiopian-Ukrainian hip-hop project of three sisters – Betty, Miriam and Siona Endale. Their unique cultural background is felt in their messages, image and, most importantly, their fearless live performances. Their music is a symbiosis of modern trap and hip-hop with references to R’n’B and rock, all proudly representing their cultural roots. FO SHO will perform at TMW’ Africa NOW! night at Vaba Lava, Tallinn on Friday, 6 May. More info
Gentle Ropes play is a distinctive goth-tinged mix of synth-instilled post-punk and shoegaze. Drifting swathes of synth, searing reverb-drenched guitars, hypnotic rhythms and forlorn vocals merge to forge haunting songs steeped in murky shades of light and darkness. The band’s TMW performance will take place on Friday, 6 May at the World Clinic Stage in Kivi Paber Käärid venue. More info
Krapka;KOMA is an electroacoustic duo of multi-instrumentalists Ira Lobanok and Alona Kovalenko. Their main strengths are multi-instrumentalism and multitasking, as the duo appears on stage, simultaneously singing and playing a variety of instruments such as electronic drums, keyboards, synths, guitar and trumpet. They combine elements of trip-hop, nu-jazz, indie electronica and soul with occasional jazz references. Krapka;KOMA will perform at TMW on Friday, 6 May 6 at the showcase night curated by the Latvian festival Skaņu mežs in the Black Hall of Telliskivi Creative City’s F-hoone.
About the residential studios
Sound studio run by Estonian folktronica group OOPUS is an acoustically processed black box with high ceilings located in a former rubber factory Põhjala Tehas, adapted for live broadcasts, photo sessions, recording and producing music.
Studio89 offers an artistic and creative environment for the realisation of various musical ideas. The studio is built with simplicity and minimalism in mind, offering both works of art on the walls and high-level technical capabilities.
TMW 2022 line-up will also feature Ukrainian rapper alyona alyona and pop star Ivan Dorn. The latter will open the music festival with a free concert at Telliskivi Creative City Square, Tallinn on Thursday 5 May.
Music Export Ukraine’s recommendations of how to support Ukraine: tmw.ee/support-ukraine
Tallinn Music Week 2022 takes place in the Estonian capital Tallinn and the border city Narva from 4 – 8 May, showcasing about 180 artists from 28 countries from all over Europe as well as from Canada, Africa and the Middle East. The music festival starts on 5 – 6 May in Tallinn and continues on 7 – 8 May in Narva. TMW 2022 conference takes place on Friday, 6 May in Nordic Hotel Forum, Tallinn and on Saturday, 7 May in OBJEKT multimedia hub, Narva.
TMW 2022 passes are on sale at shop.tmw.ee. Single tickets for TMW 2022 showcase nights are on sale at Piletilevi.
TMW 2022 edition unites the teams, partners and funders of Tallinn Music Week and Station Narva festivals.
The joint festival is supported by the cities of Tallinn and Narva, the Government Office, the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Endowment, Integration Foundation, Nordic Hotel Forum and Visit Estonia.
TMW’s international activities, the aim of which is to introduce Estonia as an attractive destination, are supported by the European Regional Development Fund.
TMW’s diversity partner is Telia Eesti, strategic partner in the field of music is Music Estonia, partners and supporters Telliskivi Creative City, Viru Center, Go Travel, Ida-Viru Tourism Cluster, Tallink, Go Hotel, Meresuu and British Council. Media partners are Postimees, Kanal 2, Põhjarannik, Raadio 2 and Raadio 4.