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Mitte-Riinimanda choir

Mitte-Riinimanda is a choir of young singers from Rapla county in North Estonia. The choir was born in 1997 from older singers of children’s’ choir Riinimanda created already in 1993.
Mitte-Riinimanda is proud to be integral part of cultural life of the Rapla region. The choir has started traditions like a concert tour in Rapla county churches as well as created several unique projects.
Mitte-Riinimanda has taken Estonian youth culture abroad to Austria, Hungary, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Norway with numerous concert tours and festivals. The choir has also fostered cultural exchange in Estonia by hosting several choirs from Germany, Sweden, Hungary, Canada, United Kingdom and Denmark.
One of the former singers has said: “Singing in that choir has always been something more than… just singing in a choir. Once in that group, people will remember each other many years later. Almost always they become and stay friends. The atmosphere is emotional while most of the activities are approached with deep dedication. I would say the dedication is as deep as it can be for a collective working on non-professional basis.”
Selected accomplishments of the choir include:

  • 2nd prize and best compulsory peace prize at the Estonian Chamber Choir Competition 2010

  • 1st prize at the Estonian Mixed Choir Competition 2009

  • 2nd prize at the Estonian Youth Choir Competition 2008

  • Special prize from the jury of international choir festival Tallinn 2009

  • Estonian Choral Association’s award “Choir of the Year 2006”

  • Invitation to the 6th International Youth Chamber Choir festival in Usedom 2006

  • 2nd prize at the Estonian Chamber Choir Competition 2006

  • Golden certificate and 3rd prize at the international choir festival Pärnu 2006, Estonian Choral Association’s special prize and invitation to the festival Tallinn 2007

  • 2nd prize in the Estonian Mixed Choirs Competition in 2006

  • 1st prize among mixed choirs at the international choir competition Randers 2005

The conductor of Mitte-Riinimanda is Urve Uusberg. Milestones of her artistic career are the creaton of the Riinimanda Children Choir in 1993, the Mitte-Riinimanda Youth Choir in 1997 and the Riinimanda Alumni Choir in 2003.
Urve values working with singers’ vocal skills as well as their personal growth. Probably her Master’s degree in psychology is among the reasons. Her singers say she always manages to earn their trust, respect and enthusiasm with a warm and professional approach.
Urve has also been an organiser of Rapla County Singing Festivals since 1980s and conducted children, youth, mixed and compiled choirs in almost every major musical event in Rapla.
Her work as a conductor and administrator has been acknowledged on both the local and national level. In 2004 Urve recieved the Stipend of Gustav Ernesaks for Developing Choral Music.