Estonian Male Choir Saaremaa Meeskoor SÜM Organized by Luxembourgish Estonian Society in Luxembourg Protestant Church (5, rue de la Congrégation) Thursday, 15 May 2014, 19h30 Conductors: Mari Ausmees and Ester Soe A musical greeting also by an Estonian female ensemble in Luxembourg Meloodilised Tordid Conductor: Anneli Aken Tickets: children free, adults 10€ Info: les@les.lu Saaremaa Male Choir SÜM was founded in autumn 1973. During the choir’s first year there were around 140 singers who came to sing from all over the island (Saaremaa is Estonia's biggest island). Although the choir is smaller now with 30 men, it has had 250 members throughout the years, to whom singing has provided a memorable experience. SÜM has performed in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Latvia, Lithuania and on all the major islands in the Baltic Sea. They have had nearly 400 minor and major concert performances, with over 300 songs in their repertoire. From the very beginning, SÜM has sung in every Estonian Song Festival as well as taken part in every Saaremaa and Estonian Male Choirs Association singing days and several nationwide singing competitions for male choirs. In 1998 SÜM received 4th place in their category. In 2003 the choir was 3rd in their category, while having the best performance of the compulsory song and in 2008 and in 2013 they were the overall winners in their category. Mari Ausmees is the current choirmaster with Ester Soe as the second conductor. SÜM’s repertoire includes both classical choral works as well as folk singing to sacred music.