The women’s choir “Balta” of the University of Latvia invites listeners to an online concert of contemporary sacred choral music, which will also be the opening ceremony of the new music album “Klusums”.
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The premiere of the online concert will take place on December 21 at 6 pm and will be shown in person at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Riga, as well as remotely. “Youtube” and the choir’s Facebook page.
“During the pandemic, the choir did not have the opportunity to give live concerts. During this remote rehearsal, we learned a new contemporary music program, which we recorded on the album” Silence. ” , “says Mara Marnauz, the artistic director of the choir” Balta “.
The program of the album and its opening online concert includes works by Norwegian, German, English and Latvian composers for the women’s choir a cappella created in the 21st century from 2001 to 2020. Three works dedicated to conductor Māra Marnauza and her women’s choir “Balta” stand out. These are the works of Latvian composer Renāte Stivriņa (b. 1985), two German composers, Professor Emeritus of the Hamburg University of Music and Theater Christoph Schönher (b. 1952) and Christian Beren, who lives in Berlin.
The program includes works by prominent Norwegian composers Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978) and Kim Andre Arnesen (b. 1980), as well as five works by the contemporary Norwegian composer Henrik Odegard (b. 1955), in which the medieval cultural heritage of Gregorian chant integrates on the polyphonic palette, writes the publishers.
For the design of the new album “Klusums”, the artist Dina Ābele’s painting “Klajums, in which someone talks to me” is used, which resonates with the spiritual music contained in it.
HE Bishop Andris Kravalis explains the title of the new choir album: “Silence is the language of God’s friends – mystics. The scriptures say that God speaks in silence. “Help others to live bright, pleasing to God, and to bring this Divine whiteness and light into the world!”
The video recording of the online concert was performed by SIA “Deem” – Edmunds Mickus, Daina Kricmane Vilciņa and Aldis Vilciņš. Filming took place not only in Riga St. In the Church of Mary Magdalene, but also in the House of the Holy Family, which is located on the foundations of a 13th-century Cistercian convent, where the songs of sacred music performed by the choir “Balta” created an ancient atmosphere.
“The association is an organization that takes care of the voluntary movement, especially to support cancer patients, as well as doctors. Glad that we will be able to delight them with this concert!” says board member Inese Švekle.
Rector of the University of Latvia Indriķis Muižnieks welcomes the online concert of the choir “Balta” contemporary choir music, which “will introduce us all to this moment of reflection, special reflection, special situation, the bright path that will lead us to Christmas, towards the New Year, towards time, when we can be closer and together again. “
The choir “Balta” of the University of Latvia was founded in 1999 by its artistic director and conductor, Chief Conductor of the General Latvian Song Festival, Mara Marnauz. The choir is the winner of many international competitions, the winner of the Grand Prix (2013) and the first place (2018) in the final of the General Latvian Song Festival Choir Competition. It is one of the best choirs not only in Latvia, but also in the world. In the Interkultur World Choir Ranking, in the women’s choir category, the White Choir currently ranks eighth.
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