In Estonia, they say vabadust when they talk — and when they sing — about freedom.
During the week of the Fourth of July, the Jubilate Singers of the Upper Valley will join some 25,000 voices from around the world in the former Soviet republic’s capital city of Tallinn, in singing — in Estonian — the praises of liberty during the 150th anniversary of the Estonian Song Celebration.
And to a greater degree than the members of the Jubilate Singers expected when they started rehearsing a year ago, they’ll be singing in defiance of Estonia’s massive neighbor to the east.
“There’s Russian tanks lined up on the other side of the border,” Jubilate co-founder Jo Shute, of Hanover, said last week. “We’re well aware of that. We’re proud to be part of that freedom movement.”
The Jubilate Singers, who will tune up for their journey with a concert on Sunday at the First Congregational Church of Lebanon, is the only U.S. choir, one of three from North America and one of 20 from outside Estonia to emerge from a rigorous audition process with the opportunity to sing alongside some 1,100 Estonian choral groups.
“We’re so honored and so thrilled,” Shute recalled. “The odds were so long. It was a pipe dream to even try.”
Shute started dreaming late in 2016, during a tour of Europe with the Handel Society of Dartmouth College.
“Estonia was our first stop in the Baltics,” Shute said. “Some of us were visiting the festival grounds and were just amazed at the immensity of the band shell. There’s nothing like it in the world. We ran up the stage and sang a piece. And we said, ‘We have to come back and sing in this festival.’ ”
Under the guidance of Thetford Chamber Singers director Kevin Quigley, of Norwich, and New Hampshire Troubadours director Susan Cancio-Bello, a Sunapee resident, the Upper Valley singers pipe up on July 6, at the end of a 5-kilometer parade, from Freedom Square to the massive band shell at the Festival Grounds, which Shute described as a combination of the opening ceremonies of the Olympics “and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. It’s broadcast live to the whole country.”
And, as during the Olympics, a torch will then arrive at the end of a monthlong relay around the country.
“The last bearer carries it up to a tower at the festival site,” Shute said. “I’ve seen video from previous ones, and people are weeping. It’s very emotional for Estonians.”
Emotions peaked between 1986 and 1991, when Estonians sang in nonviolent protest of Soviet domination until the USSR broke up.
“It’s been really quite thrilling to learn about this,” Shute said. “It’s something that can be learned again.”
The Jubilate Singers of the Upper Valley perform at the First Congregational Church of Lebanon on Sunday afternoon at 2. Admission is by donation.
A steady parade of entertainers performs between gusts of hot air at the Quechee Balloon Festival this weekend on the Quechee Green, starting Friday afternoon at 3 with the Americana band Juke Joynt. Enfield-native Americana singer-songwriter Brooks Hubbard leads his Nashville-based, eponymous band to the stage for shows at 6 and 7:30.
The Saturday lineup includes performance artist Robert Clarke at 11 a.m. and at 3:30 p.m.; the Rusty Berrings Brass Band at 11:30 a.m.; the rock ensemble Carter Glass at 2 p.m.; the alt-rock band The Kapps at 4; and The Party Crashers at 6 and 7:30.
On Sunday, Clarke performs more magic, juggling and comedy at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and the musical acts include the Americana duo of Oxford & Clark at 11:30 a.m.; the belly-dancers of Raqs Salaam at 1 p.m.; the Jordan Snow Band at 2; and Tuck’s Rock Dojo at 4:30.
Tickets good for the whole weekend cost $5 to $15. Dads get in free on Sunday for Father’s Day.
■Thirty-four years later, the fantasy hit movie Back to the Future continues to resonate in its relevance and humor. Mascoma Valley Parks and Recreation screens it at Huse Park in Enfield on Friday night at 8:45. Admission is free.
■ Lyme resident Bob Wetzel and his childhood friend, Craig Becker, perform their cabaret A Fine Bromance on Saturday night at 8, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Upper Valley in Norwich. Wetzel describes the show as an exploration of “how two men — one very straight and one very gay — have remained friends since fifth grade in a small midwestern town,” through reminiscence and through singing songs by Stephen Sondheim, James Taylor and Paul Simon. Admission is $20 in advance (visit uucuv.org) and $25 at the door.
The Pajama Game, romantic-comedy musical, performances at New London Barn Playhouse starting Thursday night through June 23. To reserve seats ($20 to $37) and learn more about 2019 summer season, visit nlbarn.org or call 603-526-6710.
■Juston McKinney, stand-up comedian, Saturday night at 7:30 at Lebanon Opera House.
■Her Majesty’s Secret Circus Show, acrobatic slapstick, next Thursday night at 6 on the Haverhill Corners Common. Admission by donation to Court Street Arts.
Julian & Charles, vibraphone and harp duo, Thursday night at 5:30 during Feast & Field Market at Fable Farm in Barnard. Donations welcome.
■Guitarist Ted Mortimer and saxophonist John McKenna, rock and soul, Friday night at 6:15 on downtown Lebanon mall; saxophonist Matt Langley, guitarist Billy Rosen and bassist Peter Concilio, jazz, Saturday night at 6:15.
■“Strife and Joy,” fiddler, singer and live-looping artist Emma Back’s folk-rock show, Friday night at 7:30 at Strafford Town House; admission $10 in advance (visit emmabackjune14.eventbrite.com), $15 at the door.
■The Grinding Stone Trio, folk and roots, Friday night at 7:30 at ArtisTree Community Arts Center. Admission $20.
■Turnip Truck and Burds Brothers, bluegrass brunch at Braintree (Vt.) Meeting House, at 11 on Sunday morning.
■Guitarists Ted Mortimer and Ed Eastridge, jazz, Sunday night at 6 at Strafford Town House. Admission by donation to maintenance fund for town house.
Frydaddy rocks Damon Hall in Hartland on Saturday night at 7, setting the rhythm for dance benefiting Hartland resident Win Hathaway’s cancer treatment. Event includes silent auction.
Singer-songwriter Seth Fernandes, Thursday evening at 5 at The Hungry Bear in Bradford, Vt.; singer-songwriter Andy Prior, Sunday evening at 5.
■ Strafford singer-songwriter Iva Wich, roots-country, Thursday night at 6 at Peyton Place in Orford.
■Fiddle Witch, bluegrass, Thursday night at 7 at Windsor Station; Guano Loco, rock, Friday night at 9:30; Cable Junction, jam rock, funk and blues, Saturday night at 9:30; singer-songwriter Dan Blaise, acoustic rock, Tuesday night at 6.
■ Royalton singer-songwriter Alison “AliT” Turner, Friday night at 7 at Inn at Weathersfield in Perkinsville.
■The Gully Boys, rock, Friday night at 8 at Skunk Hollow Tavern in Hartland.
■Shrimp Tunes, Friday night at 8 at Salt hill Pub in Hanover; Alec Currier, rock, Saturday night at 9.
■Singer-songwriter Richie Hackett, Friday night at 8 at Salt hill Pub in West Lebanon; Tad Dreis, rock, Saturday afternoon at 4.
■Toby Moore, rock/Americana, Friday night at 9 at Salt hill Pub in Lebanon; Mo’Combo, soul and jazz, Saturday night at 9.
■Rebel Collective, Americana, Saturday night at 9 at Salt hill Pub in Newport.
■Guitarists Ted Mortimer and Billy Rosen, jazz, Sunday morning at 9:30, Father’s Day brunch at Courthouse Restaurant in Newport.
■Jim Yeager, rock/funk, Monday night at 7 at Woodstock Inn’s Richardson Tavern.
■Saxophonist Michael Parker and guitarist Norm Wolfe, jazz and soul, Wednesday night at 6 at Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm.
■Jazz pianist Sonny Saul, Wednesday night at 6:30 at On the River Inn in Woodstock.
Alec Currier’s open-mic at Salt hill Pub in Lebanon, Thursday nights at 8.
■Joe Stallsmith’s hootenanny of Americana, folk and bluegrass, Monday nights at 6 at Salt hill Pub in Hanover.
■Fiddler Jakob Breitbach’s acoustic jam session of bluegrass, Americana and old-timey music, Tuesday nights at 7 at Filling Station Bar and Grill in White River Junction.
■Tom Masterson’s open mic, Tuesday nights at 7 at Colatina Exit.
■Jim Yeager hosts open mics at The Public House Pub in Quechee on Tuesday night at 6; and at Skunk Hollow Tavern on Wednesday night at 8.
David Corriveau can be reached at dcorriveau@vnews.com or 603-727-3304. Send entertainment news to highlights@vnews.com.
Correction
The Estonian word for freedom is vabadust. The word was spelled incorrectly in an earlier version of this story.