Music without borders / Piirita muusika / Музыка без границ

On April 30, the International Jazz Day, a unique concert took place in the border cities of Narva and Ivangorod on the Estonian-Russian border. Renowned jazz-musicians of the two countries – Estonian guitarist Jaak Sooäär and Russian saxophonist Alexey Kruglov – performed on both sides of the Narva river. The concert took place in the Narva Castle on the Estonian side and in the Ivangorod Fortress on the Russian side. The meeting of the two musicians on the banks of Narva river symbolises the fact that even in the conditions of the pandemic when physical movement between countries has become almost impossible, there are no borders between people. Music is what conquers hardships and unites people during difficult times. The date of the concert – the International Jazz Day – is symbolic as well, denoting the active cooperation of Estonian and Russian jazz musicians. Alexey Kruglov and Jaak Sooäär have been cooperating since 2007. Alexey Kruglov is a well-known jazz saxophonist in Russia. He is also a comp