Finnish-Estonian musical collaboration enters a new chapter as the poetic music piece RAJA is set to premiere on May 7th in Valga, Estonia. RAJA (“border” in English) is a unique collaboration between Finland and Estonia, featuring music composed by Olli Kortekangas and words by Elo Viiding.

Written and composed specifically for the cities divided by borders, RAJA focuses on addressing the challenges of existence on the border, fears associated with crossing borders, and the courage to cross them at different levels. Staying true to these themes, the cantata will be performed in four different locations, all near borders. After the premiere in Valga, the performance can also be heard in Narva, Estonia, as well as Nova Gorcia, Slovenia, and Tornio-Haparanda, Finland.

This poetic music piece will be performed by professionals from both countries. The guitar will be played by Tiit Peterson, the artistic director of the Tallinn Guitar Festival, and the flute will be played by Neeme Punder, an Estonian flutist who has extensively toured international venues. Ville Rusanen, a Finnish baritone who has appeared on several international opera stages, will be performing the vocals.