20 June, the memorial benches of five great Estonian musicians were inaugurated on Tallinn Song Festival Grounds.
  
The Tallinn Song Festival Grounds and the Cultural Partnership Foundation started a co-operation project in which the area of the Song Festival Grounds will be enriched over the next two years by twenty-five memorial benches bearing the name of the great Estonian cultural and social giants.
The memorial benches inaugurated on Monday bear the names of Roman Toi, Alo Mattiisen, Miina Härma, Ülo Vinter and Ester Mägi.
  
Within the scope of the co-operation project, twenty-five young talents of the Estonian cultural sphere will receive a one-off grant. Barclay de Tolly Friends Club, Heidi and Allar Jõks, Olav Miil, Limestone Factories of Estonia and Cultural Partnership Foundation (Kultuuripartnerluse SA) support the studies and creative activities of young Estonian talents to a total of at least20,000 euros.  The first five persons to receive the grant were Martin Karu, counter-tenor, Hedi Maaroos, singer, Helin Hallik, guitarist and  Marcel Johannes Kits, violoncellist, and organisers of the competition "Alo Mattiisen" for vocal ensembles  in Jõgeva.    
  
The benches are manufactured by Extery OÜ, a recognised trademark of Estonian urban furniture, contributing to the project. The costs of ordering the bench shall be borne by the undertakings involved in the co-operation project.   
  
The bench dedicated to Roman Toi. The beneficiary Martin Karu studies at the institute of higher education, Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.The contributor is Barclay de Tolly's Friends Club.
The bench dedicated to  Alo Mattiisen . Heidi and Allar Jõks will support the "Alo Mattiisen" Song Contest in Jõgeva in the coming years.  
The bench dedicated to   Ester Mägi. The beneficiary of the grant is Marcel Johannes Kits, who received a special scholarship to prepare for the Queen Elizabeth contest. The contributor is Olav Miil. Miina Härma's memorial bench. Helin Hallik commences her studies at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels in the autumn. The scholarship covers the costs of her summer preparation courses. Ülo Vinter's memorial bench. Hedi Maaroos attends the music school London School of Musical Theatre. She is supported by Limestone Factories of Estonia OÜ .  
    
According to Urmo Saareoja, the director of Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, the Song Festival Grounds has always been a source of special emotions. “Culture is the bridge that connects the past and the present of our people and inspires hope for a successful future. A commendable project will bring future talents to the limelight and also benches are constructed in the Song Festival Grounds area, dedicated to the great cultural figures. This is a entirety that will hopefully provoke a very big and positive impact,” said Saareoja.
  
According to Meelis Kubits, Head of the Cultural Partnership Foundation, a valuable axis will be created in cooperation, where it will be possible to boost our young talents and also value a domestic cultural supporter within the framework of the memory of the great Estonian figures. “With the first two target groups, everything is clear, great names need to be remembered and young people need to be supported. But it is also very important to bring more benefactors, private individuals, families and special funds to support culture. So there is hope that a spark will emerge between supporters and young people, which will help our talents to make their dreams come true,” said Kubits.
  
“Culture is a part of our society, and we are all part of it. Similarly, urban space belongs to everyone.” comments Aave Volmer, Member of the Board of Extery. “In co-operation with Estonian designers, we create urban furniture for a more enriched life full of opportunities. All this is also linked. We want the best in their field to reach high and far and to enrich and complement our society. Therefore, it was clear that this project should include the park benches of Extery!”
 
More information:

  
Urmo Saareoja                                    
SA Tallinna Lauluväljak                    
     
Photos by: Aron Urb
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/tofcfkzk40d84u2ixr4vu/h?dl=0&rlkey=maghsd6ngxpg8g6aj4t8h7lqk