Albu International Piano Camp 2025
19–24 July, Albu Manor, Järva County, Estonia

Albu Manor, situated in Järva County, Estonia, is one of the oldest manors in the country.      

The name of this manor was first mentioned by historians in 1282, and its buildings have been used by a school since 1921. Surrounded by a beautiful park, Albu Manor consists of one main historic house, which has been largely restored, in addition to a couple newer buildings within the same park area. It is an idyllic place in the middle of nature.

The tradition of organizing summer music camps at the Albu Manor began initially twelve years ago. Out of the original, smaller music camps, an idea emerged in 2022 to create the Albu International Piano Camp, with the internationally known pianist couple, Hui-Ying Liu-Tawaststjerna and Erik T. Tawaststjerna (Sibelius Academy/University of the Arts Helsinki) as its teachers. This summer our international music camp will take place for the fourth time on July 19–24, 2025. 

This music camp aims to bring together talented pianists from Estonia and abroad to meet with each other, and to study, perform, and explore the art of piano playing and musical interpretation under professional guidance. Lessons in chamber music (duos and trios) are also offered to interested students. 

Concert opportunities will be available to participants not only at the Albu Manor, but also at the “Mõisamängud” festival on July 26 and 27 organized at other manors of Estonia. On 20.07 there is Piano Pedagogy Day with workshops and lectures by Hui-Ying and Erik Tawaststjerna and Martti Raide taking place. As a novel feature of this international music camp, students may also apply to teach as assistant teachers in the Young Piano Students course in the middle of the festival (21-23.07). 

Dear pianists, we warmly invite you to join us and spend an exciting and inspiring week at the Albu International Piano Camp this summer!

Registration 

There is no deadline for registration. Registration is open until the places are full (hurry to ensure your place!) To participate in Albu International Piano Camp, please fill out the Albu-registration-form-2025. The registration form and payment reciept of the registration fee has to be sent to: kammermuusikud@gmail.com
Confirmation mail to ensure the place in the course will be sent back shortly. 

More information: +372 55913910

Schedule

All the events will take place in the Albu Manor, if not otherwise noted:

19.07.2025
12.00 Opening of Albu international Piano Camp and performance of Hui-Ying and Erik Tawaststjerna in Albu manor hall followed by masterclasses

20.07.2025 
12.00 Opening of Albu Pedagogy Day followed by lectures (Martti Raide, Hui-Ying and Erik Tawaststjerna), workshop and masterclasses
19.00 Concert. Tähe-Lee Liiv (piano)

21.07.2025
12.00 Opening of Young Students Piano Course followed by masterclasses, lessons and folk music workshops  

22.07.2025
Masterclasses, lessons and folk music workshops  
19.00 Concert of young pianists 

23.07.2025
Masterclasses, lessons and folk music workshops  
19.00 Concert of young piano students and young pianists

24.07.2025
Masterclasses
16:00 Final Concert of International Albu Piano Camp participants  

……

26-27.07.2025 concerts for selected participants in other manors around Estonia

 

Albu International Piano Camp Instructors (19-24.07):

Erik T. Tawaststjerna (“Ta-va-sher-na”) is Professor Emeritus at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. He began his musical education in Helsinki and then continued his studies in Moscow, Vienna, and New York. He participated in master classes given by Wilhelm Kempff and Dmitri Bashkirov. He won the second prize at the Helsinki Maj Lind National Piano Competition in 1968 and has since given concerts around the world. He has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras in Finland, performing such works as Rachmaninoff’s Concerto no. 3 and Leonard Bernstein’s Age of Anxiety. Mr. Tawaststjerna has made numerous recordings, among them the four Ballades of Chopin and a series of 8 recordings of the complete piano music of Jean Sibelius. Many of his students have received top prizes in international piano competitions. Mr. Tawaststjerna has been on the juries of several competitions, such as the Van Cliburn Competition in Fort Worth, the Maria Canals Competition in Barcelona, the International Beethoven Competition in Vienna, and the London International Piano Competition. He has given master classes, among other places, at the Guildhall School of Music in London, the University of the Arts in Berlin, and the Tokyo College of Music. In 2006 he was named ‘Professor of the Year’ by the Finnish Professors’ League.

Taiwan-born Hui-Ying Liu-Tawaststjerna is a well-known classical pianist and teacher in Finland, where she has made her permanent home since the early 1980’s. Praised for her refined pianism, interpretation and artistic temperament, she has given concerts throughout Finland, and in many other corners of the world. She won her first piano competition at age 14 in Taipei; other success followed afterwards in Buenos Aires and New York City, including a recital debut at the Carnegie Recital Hall as a winner of the Artists International Management Auditions. She has performed concertos conducted by Okko Kamu, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Eri Klas, among others; as well as chamber music with Jean-Jacque Kantorow, Patrick Gallois, Steven Isserlis, Kaija Saarikettu, Marko Ylönen, and Raimo Sariola. For the Finlandia Records and for the Finnish Radio, she has recorded the complete Sibelius works for cello and piano, Sibelius’ late violin works, and Debussy’s complete Etudes, along with many other piano compositions.

A passionate teacher and educator, she has taught many prize winners of international piano competitions, co-authored a popular Finnish piano method, the Piano Key (“Piano Avain”), and appeared with her students on a Finnish television program “Polishing of Diamonds” as well. In addition, she has given lectures and masterclasses at numerous music universities around the world, including the Guildhall School of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music, the Hanns Eisler Music University, the Music University Freiburg, the Taipei National University of the Arts, the National Taipei University of Education, and NYU Steinhardt at New York University. 

Hui-Ying holds a Doctor’s degree from the Sibelius Academy, a Master’s degree from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and a Bachelor’s degree from the New York University. During her college years she studied piano with Martin Canin, Konrad Wolff, and Pierre Sancan. She had also received artistic advices from Leon Fleisher, Karl Ülrich Schnabel, and Rosa Sabater, who all imparted much creative inspiration upon Hui-Ying. 

Accommodations (based on registrastion):

Shared rooms in Jäägri Villa 38 €/night (up to 3 people in the room, including breakfast. At least two nights, higher prices for single room and single night.
Large shared room in Jäägri Villa 15€/night (up to 10 people, no breakfast, with own mattress, bedsheets, towel)
Albu Youth Center large room 10€/night (up to 6 people, with own mattress, bedsheets, towel, possibility to use kitchen)

NB! Both accommodation places are 3 minutes to walk from Albu Manor, where the lessons and practicing take place. 

Meals (based on registration)

Every day breakfast (6.50 € if not included with accommodation in Jäägri Villa) at 9 AM, lunch at 2PM (11.20 €), dinner (11.20 €) in Jäägri Villa 

Albu food store (3 min walking distance from Albu manor) (Mo-Fr 10-18.00, Sat 10-16)
Possibility to use a kitchen in Albu manor

Content of the course:

– Participants in the Albu International Piano Camp (19.-24.07) will each receive 4 masterclasses and 1 group lesson (special arrangements with chamber groups), possibility to participate in pedagogy lectures (translated into English and Estonian), possibility for assistant-teaching young piano students, performing in concerts, selected students have possibility to perform in other manors around Estonia 26-27.07.2025. 

Piano practice:

There are 9 grand pianos and 5 uprights available for practice at Albu manor, Albu Rahvamaja and Albu Noortekeskus. 

Participation fees: 

– For participants of the Albu International Piano Camp (19.-24.07):

Participation fee: 300€ (not including accommodation and meals)

10% of the participation fee (registration fee) – 30€ has to be payed before registration (payent reciept to be included with the registration form)
270€ is fee for participation, to be payed after recieving an invoice (ca 1 week before the start of the course).
Discount 10% available for participants who teach at the Junior Camp.

 

Transportation: 

– If coming to Albu by car:  look up “Albu manor” in google maps

– If arriving in Tallinn by plane: go from the train station “Ülemiste” (850 m from airport) to “Aegviidu”. Tickets (3-4 €) can be purchased on the train with a bank card.

– If arriving in Tallinn by boat: go from the train stop “Tallinn” (in the main railway station “Balti Jaam”, 2 km from the harbour) to “Aegviidu”. Tickets (3-4 €) can be purchased on the train by bank card

– If coming to Albu by train: the trains leave every hour, all day long until late night. Go to web page and look up the timetable and the right train (on the timetable there is written the number and final destination of the train): https://elron.ee/en 

NOTE: We can pick you up by car from from Aegviidu, which is ca 20 km away from Albu. We can also try to arrange a car from Tallinn if you give us your arrival details.

Leisure / local attractions:

Anton Hansen Tammsaare muuseum Vargamäel
Kakerdaja raba matkarada
Albu manor