Musica Silencii

Studio Musica Silencii has been active at the Tallinn Old Town Educational College since 1992. Currently, the Class comprises some 25 young musicians, taught by Tõnu Sepp and Kai Kõivumägi. The idea of the Studio has been inspired by the best part of Christian art, which might exert at least a little bit of healing influence in today's world. What Tõnu Sepp attempts to pass down to the students is not so much education, culture or ethical principles but something even more important, as he himself likes to hint. Both visibly and audibly, the students have picked up on this.

As to its form, the idea of the Studio is inspired by the medieval practice, according to which the master was essentially free to organise the training of students as he saw fit. So, too, has Tõnu Sepp been able to devote considerable time to the problems of the teaching method. This has led him to developing the ensemble method, integrating the elements of other subjects into it. It is very difficult to become a good soloist; yet it is basically within everyone's power to become a good ensemble player. The focus of the class is on liturgical music (mostly medieval and Renaissance pieces) and the general instrument of the class is the recorder. There are no marks. Students advance to higher grades when they are able to work their way through the previous textbooks. The only pass recognised is the faultless one.

In addition to the recorder, the Studio also enables its students to study the zither, rebec, Latin guitar, dulcimer, harp, cornetto, spinet, drums, mandolin, violin and synthesizer.

Of Renaissance instruments, the Studio concentrates on various types of recorders, viola da gamba's, cornamuses and flutes. Some of the instruments have been built by Tõnu Sepp himself, others, however, are already the handiwork of the students themselves.