Experiencing the Magic of the Latvian Song Festival

Experiencing the Magic of the Latvian Song Festival

Waiting for the sunrise with Māri Sirmo conducting the most enduring singers in the chorus of the Song Festival hits – Gaismas pili, Lauztās priedes, Lec, saulīte – is something very special. To be present and sing together even when the entire program of the final concert and sing-along night has been sung! pic.twitter.com/39CgD42Y5e — … Read more

The Song ‘My Homeland’ and its Unforgettable Performance at the General Latvian Song Festival

The Song ‘My Homeland’ and its Unforgettable Performance at the General Latvian Song Festival

The song “My Homeland” with the words of the poet Jānis Peters was written in 1972 as a tribute to the centenary of the General Latvian Song Festival and a year later it was released in a mini-album together with the songs “Dzel manī sauli” and “Vēju stunda”. At the closing concert of the XXVII … Read more

The History and Evolution of Pūt, Vējiņi! – From 1807 to Imants Ramiņš’s 1989 Composition

The History and Evolution of Pūt, Vējiņi! – From 1807 to Imants Ramiņš’s 1989 Composition

The song (the first verse) was published for the first time by the pastor of Rūjiena, Gustavs von Bergmanis, in 1807. The melody of the song was first published by Jānis Cimze in 1872. Nowadays, the most well-known is the arrangement of the song for four parts made by Andreja Jurjānas in 1884 a capella … Read more

Song and Dance Festival: National Armed Forces Orchestra, Raxtu raxti, Saucejas, and More!

Song and Dance Festival: National Armed Forces Orchestra, Raxtu raxti, Saucejas, and More!

The National Armed Forces Headquarters Orchestra, the group “Raxtu raxti”, the instrumental group, “Saucejas”, “Tarkški”, “Suitu dudenieki”, “Austras koks”, Marina Rebeka, Agnese Pauniņa, Ance Krauze, Elīna Seile, Alice Baumane, will take part in the concert. Kamila Siliņa, Paula Bička, Olívija Gulbe, Aleksandra Špitzberga, Kristīne Kārkle-Kalniņa and others. The head of the artistic working group is … Read more

Exploring the Fusion of Folk Music and Dance: A Behind-the-Scenes Look with Ilgi, Dandaru, and DJ Monsta

Exploring the Fusion of Folk Music and Dance: A Behind-the-Scenes Look with Ilgi, Dandaru, and DJ Monsta

Journalists are also buzzing around – taking photos, the LR3 journalist even records interviews. The concert begins. “Ilgi” rumbles, “Dandaru” girls wind in a long string like a stream… We watch and enjoy. My role is to understand what is happening here? First of all, there was no interweaving of genres – representatives of the … Read more

Latvian Folk Costume Show: A Celebration of National Identity and Cultural Heritage

Latvian Folk Costume Show: A Celebration of National Identity and Cultural Heritage

For the sixth time since 1998, a show of Latvian folk costumes has been held. This year, its artistic director is Agnis Kristvalds, the choreographer is Elīna Gaitjukeviča, and the graphic design was created by Agnese Leilande. The live broadcast from the Latvian folk costume show and its video recording (after the end of the … Read more

Panorama Program: Honeymoon at Riga Song and Dance Festival

Panorama Program: Honeymoon at Riga Song and Dance Festival

Video: The plot of the program “Panorama”. The couple laughs that they will spend the wedding night in the gym on mattresses with the rest of the group’s dancers, but the whole first week of the honeymoon will be spent in Riga at the Song and Dance Festival. “Let’s dance until it’s bitter,” say the … Read more

The Remarkable Growth of Participation in the 2023 Song and Dance Festival Despite Covid-19 Restrictions: Statistical Data Reveals Surprising Increase in Number of Participants

The Remarkable Growth of Participation in the 2023 Song and Dance Festival Despite Covid-19 Restrictions: Statistical Data Reveals Surprising Increase in Number of Participants

However, this year the number of choirs participating in the Song Festival has increased. In 2018, there were 429 choirs, but this year there will be 454 choirs. Also, 2,097 brass band musicians from 66 orchestras and 5,714 members of 580 brass band ensembles, vocal ensembles, folk music groups, amateur theaters and other independent groups … Read more

2023 Dance and Song Festival: Record-Breaking Participants and the Impact of Covid-19

2023 Dance and Song Festival: Record-Breaking Participants and the Impact of Covid-19

For the second festival in a row, the Dance Festival will have the most participants. This year, 16,879 dancers from 695 collectives will participate. This is less than the Centennial Festival, when 18,150 dancers from 739 dance groups took part, but more than other Dance Festivals. The number of participants of the Song Festival collective … Read more

“Latvian Composer Withdraws Pro-Kremlin Song from Song and Dance Festival Repertoire”

Added last paragraph. The author of the song’s words is also the singer Kaspars Dimiters, who has been showing a pro-Kremlin position for some time, which is unacceptable to Liepiņš. Therefore, it is decided to withdraw the song from the Song and Dance Festival repertoire. The composer explained that at the beginning of the year, … Read more