All news

This year is the year of “Truth and Justice (Tõde ja õigus)” to celebrate the passing of 90 years from the first print of Anton Hansen Tammsaare’s work of the same name and the 80th anniversary of the opening of the monument to the beloved writer. On 4 March at Vargamäe, Director of UT Viljandi Culture Academy Iñaki Sandoval signed a cooperation agreement with the Director of the Museum Reelika Räime and the Rural Municipality Mayor of Albu Parish Kalju Kertsmik.

This year the curriculum Theatre Technical Arts study programme of the Tartu University Viljandi Cultural Academy celebrates its 25th year of teaching prop and stage designers. The jubilee year begins with a retrospective exhibition Mixed Mediums organized by the alumni at Kondas Centre in Viljandi. You are welcome to join the vernissage on Wednesday the 3rd of February at 4 p.m.

The annual festival organized by the students of UT Viljandi Culture Academy is taking place for the 14th time in 2016.

From the 8th of February 2016 onward two free e-learning courses will be made available by the UT VCA Music Department, namely Accompaniment on the Guitar for Beginners and Microphones - the Sound Engineer’s Musical Instruments. The courses are open for registration from today to all who are interested from UT website.

Do you have a science-based business idea but you do not have any money to start? Do you want to help to launch next revolutionary product or service? Vega fund, created in co-operation between SEB bank and the Universiy of Tartu, supports early stage science-based innovative business ideas with 36 000 euros. Applications are opened to: 1. A team of students or scientists who already have an innovative science-based solution to a common problem.

University of Tartu Department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore and Native Crafts Department of the Viljandi Culture Academy, together with Tartu Nefa Group and the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore (Vilnius), will host the 5th International Conference of Young Folklorists, “Folklore of Connections, Folklore of Conflict”, on October 7-9, 2015, at the Viljandi Culture Academy.

The new director of the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy is Iñaki Sandoval Campillo who currently works as professor, dean of graduate studies and director of the Jazz Department at the Liceu Conservatory in Barcelona. The new director will start his term on 1 September.

There is still a possibility to apply for Sound Engineering Arts MA programme. Application period is 22.06-02.07.2015. You can apply in DreamApply system: https://estonia.dreamapply.com/ The entrance interview will take place on 8th of July 2015 9:00 (Estonian time). The interview can be conducted via Skype. The admission results will be announced by July 10, 2015.

Until 16th of April there is possibility to apply to the Sound Engineering MA programme in UT VCA.

From now on, it should be much easier for students, guests of the university, inhabitants of Tartu, tourists and others to find their way in Tartu as a university town. The University of Tartu launched an innovative virtual tour that gives an overview of the modern study buildings and shows where they are located on the map. The tour also includes study-related buildings in Pärnu, Viljandi, Tallinn and Narva. Have a closer look at virtualtour.ut.ee.

The Native Crafts Department invites people to participate in the 2nd Craft Camp 2015. Craft Camp is a handicraft camp that aims to introduce Estonian handicraft by giving an overview of traditional handicraft techniques from Estonia and to learn the modern usage of those techniques.

On 31 October UT VCA ceremonially opens Vilma House, a new study building which houses an up-to-date multimedia studio, woodwork, handloom and prop and stage crafts workshops, auditoriums and Viljandi Creative Incubator textile workshops.

From 3rd to 7th March there are record number of international teachers in the Music Department giving lectures and workshops. Monday, 3rd March Dr Rachel J. Holland from Christopher Newport University (Virginia, USA) gives a lecture about film music and a master course to singers. Both events are open for those who are interested or who sing. The events take place in the Music House in the room 301. More info and registration from Marko Mägi, [email protected]

Among the 99 people receiving state decorations given by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, are a few people from the academy. The Order of the White Star 3rd Class is given to the head of Viljandi Culture Academy, Anzori Barkalaja. He was nominated for his work in developing education. Barkalaja says that the decoration is honoring every person and employee of the Culture Academy. He states that he is not a sole person responsible for the development and success of Viljandi Culture Academy but other who have been before him and are currently his colleagues.

Katye Coe and Charlie Morrisey, choreographers from United Kingdom are visiting Culture Academy from 10th to 15th February. Coe and Morrisey will lead a modern dance master class and lecture. They will also present their short performances ON off, Go and Where we are not in Viljandi and Tallinn.

We have a guest teacher from France since January 6 until February 5. Claire Filmon is teaching dance and music students. Dear people from Viljandi Culture Academy, University of Tartu First I want to thank everyone for the warm welcome I've received since I've arrived on 5th January in Viljandi and for the big work that is done by your university to make our project working and alive. Special thanks to Irene Hütsi and Merle Saarva.

Viljandi Culture Academy's web page had not changed in design since 2006. The new developments help to find information more quickly and make the browsing more comfortable for the user. The new design is made by Mekaia OÜ and works on Drupal platform. The design is adopted by all other units in Tartu University. More information: Hannele Känd Specialist in Communication and Project Department E-mail [email protected] Phone +372 5669 8839 / +372 435 5260

More than 100 people attended a three-day conference "Drama Connecting People", held in Mäetaguse parish, Ida-Viru county on 24-26 October 2012. It was a third in the row of applied theatre conferences (previously in 2010 and 2008 held in Viljandi). The artistic director for the conference is Katrin Nielsen, lecturer at Culture Education Department.

In Spring semester 2013 academy hosts foreign lecturer David King from Cabrillo College in U.S. at our Performing Arts Department thanks to Fulbright Scholar program of the U.S. Department of State. David is a dancer, choreographer, durational installation artist and movement educator. His teaching is influenced by Mel Wong’s interpretation of Cunningham Technique, Contact Improvisation, Release Technique, Aikido, and the Feldenkrais Method.

On March 27th Estonian Theatre Union proclaimed Estonian Theatre Awards 2013 at Endla Theatre in Pärnu. There were many alumni from the Performing Arts Department of the academy among the nominees. We are delighted to see that two of our alumni and academys ballet teacher got awards in different categories: Dance Production Award: Ruslan Stepanov for "Carrrmen!" - choreographer and director by Vanemuine Theatre (alumnus of Dance Arts, 2002); Salme Reek Award: