ESTONIA-MUSIC/AIRPORTS Estonian singers jazz up Tallinn airport with musical security announcements

Record ID: 137245

  • Title: ESTONIA-MUSIC/AIRPORTS Estonian singers jazz up Tallinn airport with musical security announcements
  • Date: 1st October 2015
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF KALKUN SINGING SECURITY ANNOUNCEMENT AND PLAYING KANNEL
  • Embargoed: 16th October 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Estonia
  • Country: Estonia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA8CBL9SC1Z49KM3DK1MKCC94U8
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Waiting around at the airport can be a dreary experience, but Tallinn airport is hoping to jazz up passengers' time with musical security announcements.
    In addition to the usual spoken messages about not leaving baggage unattended, travellers are now treated to melodic versions sung by nationally popular opera, jazz and folk music singers.
    Among the artists contributing is singer Kadri Voorand, who relished the chance to surprise passengers with an unusual announcement.
    "One of the thoughts in my head was right away: ok, I want to people who walk in the airport and hear this clip to feel the same way, like: 'This can't be, like, is it really happening right now, am I dreaming?' And so I entered the studio room, I tried a couple of times with my kalimba and it didn't work and then I just said: 'Ah, I'll just improvise something, whatever comes in my mind' and then it stayed. It was just like having fun at some kind of party or I don't know. And now it's in the airport," she said.
    Airport management hope the musical interludes will cheer up the wait for passengers in the departure lounge. Marketing specialist Eva Maarend said the idea seemed to be working well.
    "We've seen some smiling faces and people kind of stop talking and [are] listening: 'Hey, what's that, what's going on?' Because we don't have always background music here and when all of a sudden music starts, it kind of makes you listen and that's great," she said.
    The project was conceived in connection with Estonia's Year of Music 2015, a campaign to promote Estonian music and artists. Accordingly, the announcements at Tallinn airport have been recorded in a range of styles to showcase the diversity of the Estonian music scene.
    Mari Kalkun is a folk singer who plays the kannel, a type of Estonian zither, working from a wooden studio in the southern town of Haki.
    The lyrics required for security announcements are quite different from her usual output, but she said she drew inspiration from the challenge once she adjusted to the new material.
    "They [the lyrics] felt a little bit strange to sing at the first time. But once I got into the mood of these words they started to sound pretty musical to me. And what was interesting was actually to make two different versions - the Estonian one and the English one - and somehow the melodies little bit shifted and changed and the rhythm from the language gave the announcement a certain musical quality I think," she said.
    While the musical announcements seem to be going down well, they will not completely replace the traditional spoken messages which are being retained for security reasons. Instead, they are being alternated - and the variety seems to be a hit with passengers.
    "It is very nice that after this dry and common announcement there is some variety and the announcements are more colourful. It also describes one kind of nationality, so that if there were a different announcement in every airport, it would also enrich it a lot," traveller Mark Kovalenko said.
    It remains to be seen if the idea will take off and be replicated in other airports showcasing their own national music.
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