Riga choirs have prepared a special greeting to Imants Kalniņš on his 80th anniversary – Music

Today, on May 26, 2021, the Latvian composer Imants Kalniņš celebrates an important anniversary. Congratulating the composer, the members of the Riga interest education choirs within the distance learning process sang a special greeting – a song by the composer Imants Kalniņš with the words of Laima Līvena “Hot my new song”. The choir arrangement was created especially for this event by conductor Andris Gailis.

Imants Kalniņš’s songs have always occupied an important place in the repertoire of school choirs, both in the concert repertoire and in the repertoire of the Song Festival. You can’t imagine a children’s choir that hasn’t sung “Fun Dance”, “Golden Strainer” or “Eight Knights”, or a youth choir that wouldn’t be enthralled by “Song on the Question”, “While”, “Song, What Will You Start With?” or the final song from the film “Sprīdītis”, because this music is timeless, does not lose its relevance and message, forcing hundreds of listeners to sing along both everyday and on holidays.

Inga Cimiņa, the head of the Riga Methodology Center for Interest Education, the author of the idea for the virtual choir project, shares her thoughts on choosing a song: “Imants Kalniņš’s special handwriting – depth and nuanced fragility, has addressed listeners, singers and musicians of all generations, including me. When starting to work on the project, the most difficult thing was to understand which of the huge range of songs to choose. But this time, which makes us all overestimate a lot, told us that we can continue, we can burn for an idea, for culture, for tradition, for our young people, that the song is always with us, it warms even in difficult times, it gives strength and enthusiasm. That is why “My new song is hot” in the sound of the new choir, because we are “Land that sings”! “

The distance learning process is very challenging, with the choir member becoming a soloist, sound and video director. Assistants also play an important role – teachers, parents, friends and maybe even passers-by. Thanks to the brave choir singers, as well as the conductors, for their involvement in the virtual choir project.

A total of 36 singers from eight Riga educational institutions take part in the performance, professional musicians Egija Sproģe (flute), Elīza Sestule (cello), Māris Vitkus (keyboards), Jānis Olekšs (bass) and Mārtiņš Miļevskis (percussion) complete the overall sound. The soundtrack was created and conducted by Inga Cimiņa, the project was led by Ilona Plūme, the chief specialist in choir music of the Riga Methodological Center for Interest Education, and the project manager was Santa Vancāne.

The singers’ voices in the digital choir were compiled by sound director Kārlis Zvejnieks, while the video was composed by Jānis Romanovskis.

The virtual choir project is implemented by the Riga Interest Education Center

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