Tartu international early music festival Orient et occident

The Tartu Early Music Festival was born in 1996. Focusing mainly on European medieval music, the Festival has been since its beginning related to Oriental cultures. The centre of interest hasn't been only Oriental culture independently, but in correlation with European early, primarily medieval culture, when Europe got by far the biggest influence from the Arabic culture. But we can make even farther connections and definitely there is a lot more to explore and find. The Festival is an interdisciplinary event with concerts, performances, exhibitions, lectures and master classes and there is always open the festival café with an exceptional atmosphere. The aim has been to create of the Festival an artistic integral, where all the events are closely related to each other. This has given a chance for many spontaneous co-projects to spring up along the years, and definitely will in the future. From the beginning years festival collaborates with Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland, but also with other important musical centers and ensembles in Europe and Asia.. The Festival in different historical halls of Tartu has become a music event for the whole university city. The Tartu Early Music Festival is member of the Central European Festivals of Early Music Association (CEFEMA). The Artistic Director and initiator is Raho Langsepp and the Chief Organiser is Festivitas Artium Concert Agency.