Suure-Jaani Music Festival 2026

Text Stewart Johnson
Photo Visit Estonia / Jaanus Siim

Classical music has a home in Estonia from 16–23 June in Suure-Jaani, just 20 minutes north of Viljandi. The 29th Suure-Jaani Music Festival, which has been organised since 1998, is one of Estonia’s best-known classical music events, and features primarily Estonian music, with a particular focus on composers connected to the Suure-Jaani region. These include Mart Saar, Artur Kapp, Eugen Kapp, and Villem Kapp, whose musical legacy remains at the heart of the festival’s programme. The festival is organised by the municipality of Suure-Jaani and the International Artur Kapp Society, and its artistic director is Andres Uibo, whose last name surprisingly is not Kapp.

Concerts and events are held across Suure-Jaani and the surrounding area. Traditional venues include St John’s Church in Suure-Jaani, the Kapp family museum, local cultural centres, and outdoor locations. The festival has also expanded over the years to include sites such as Olustvere Manor, Lõhavere hill fort, and the famous Hüpassaare bog island.

Since 1998, the festival has developed a distinctive identity by combining traditional concerts with performances in unusual locations and formats. In addition to classical concerts, the programme includes discussions, exhibitions, competitions, and even meetings with musicians and cultural figures. According to the organisers, the festival has consistently sought to bring music closer to audiences through artistic excellence and unique settings alike.

One of the festival’s best-known traditions is the Sunrise Concert, which takes place at 3 in the early morning on 23 June on the Hüpassaare bog island. Accessible via a boardwalk through the bog landscape, the concert combines live music with the natural light of dawn in Soomaa. The 2026 Sunrise Concert will feature tenor Heldur-Harry Põlda, a French horn ensemble, and a string quartet, with texts read by Märt Treier.

The complete programme is available in Estonian here.

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Classical Music Concerts Estonian Music events in Viljandi music Suure-Jaani Suure-Jaani Music Festival