The Immigration History Research Center (IHRC) at the University of Minnesota has awarded the Hildegard and Gustav Must Graduate Fellowship in Estonian American Studies to Kelley Sundin for summer 2012.
Kelley Sundin, a M.M. candidate in choral conducting, said "My research in Estonian choral music was illuminated when I entered the Immigration History Research Center. The Estonian Diaspora collection revealed a wealth of choral music and personal stories of Estonian Americans."
"The Hildegard and Gustav Must Graduate Fellowship is a wonderful opportunity to promote my research of the Estonian archive and contribute toward my desire to share Estonian music with the greater choral community. The rich cultural traditions of singing embedded in Estonian society and the wonderful sense of community created through the choral experience in Estonia is a living example of how singing has great power to unite people and preserve culture, language, and tradition." Sundin adds "Many Estonian choral pieces will be shared for the first time in the United States as a result of researching the Estonian archives in the Immigration Research History Center."
The fellowship was established in 2003 with a major gift from the Estonian Archives of the U.S., Inc. in conjunction with the transfer of a vast segment of that institution's archival holdings to the Immigration History Research Center. Its objective is to further Estonian American history and activities in the IHRC.
ihrc.umn.edu
