New film about Toronto Latvian dance group Daugaviņa’s participation at Song & Dance Festival in 2023 in Riga

Ilze Falkovska | 25. February

In Toronto’s multicultural heart, Canadian Latvian immigrants unite across generations in the “Daugaviņa” dance group to preserve their ancestral traditions through folk dance and journey to Latvia to participate in one of the biggest folkdance festivals in the world.

The Latvian Nationwide Song and Dance Festival, held every five years, is one of the world’s largest folkdance events, with nearly three times the participants of the Olympic Games but rarely seen globally. It represents the enduring preservation of Latvian culture—a tradition fiercely upheld by the diaspora during Soviet occupation. More Than a Dance follows the Canadian Latvian dance group Daugaviņa as they prepare for this momentous festival. The documentary captures their journey to Latvia, exploring their search for belonging between two homes, the challenge of maintaining cultural traditions in a globalized world, and their profound reconnection with their roots.

The film’s director, Pauls Dombrovskis, shares his thoughts on the film’s concept: “For better or worse, I have lived in Germany, New Zealand, the USA, Australia, Canada, and India during my life, but I’ve always found myself between these countries and Latvia. Like the film’s main character, Selga, this has led me to ask the same question—where is my true home? In seeking the answer to this and other questions about belonging, I share a common goal with these characters – the preservation and promotion of Latvian culture.”

KULTFILMA, led by acclaimed director and producer Dzintars Dreibergs, is a distinguished Latvian production company with over 15 years of industry experience. The studio gained international recognition for its hit historical war drama Blizzard of Souls, which broke Latvian box-office records, was shortlisted for an Oscar in the Best Score category, and was featured in Variety’s Top 25 Best International Films. KULTFILMA is known for its expertise in creating historically rich narratives and films that explore culture, heritage, and history, as well as highlighting people who make significant contributions to society. The studio also has an extensive portfolio of documentaries and TV programs that reflect its commitment to quality and storytelling excellence.

Trailer with English subtitles: https://vimeo.com/999514946

Contact Ilze Faļkovska, KULTFILMA Producer at ilze@kultfilma.lv

Jauna filma “Vairāk kā deja” attēlo Toronto kopas “Daugaviņa” ceļu uz 2023.g. Dziesmu un Deju svētkiem Rīgā

Ilze Falkovska | 22. February

Nupat tapusi dokumentālā pilnmetrāžas filma “Vairāk kā deja” (“More Than a Dance”), kas stāsta par Toronto latviešu tautas deju kolektīva “Daugaviņa” ceļu uz “Dziesmu un Deju svētkiem” Rīgā, 2023. gadā. Filma, fiksējot emocionālo ceļu no Kanādas līdz Latvijai un atpakaļ, izkristalizē kolektīva dalībnieku stāstus, tradīciju saglabāšanas un izcelsmes nozīmi viņu dzīvē, latviešu valodas pastāvēšanas izaicinājumus diasporas trešajā un nākošajās paaudzēs, ar Latviju tieši nesaistītu cilvēku iesaistīšanos dejas kustībā un jautājumu, kas aktuāls daudziem trimdas latviešiem – kur ir manas mājas, un kas cilvēkus “velk” pie Latvijas un latviešiem?

Šī filma ļauj ieskatīties arī Kanādas latviešu sākotnējās gaitās caur plaši neredzētiem privāto arhīvu kadriem no 60. gadiem un vecākās paaudzes atmiņām – kāda ir mūsu tautas tradīciju nozīme un ietekme esot svešumā, vai tādā veidā varam sev, kā nācijai pievērst uzmanību plašākā mērogā? Tāpat filmā redzami iespaidīgi Dziesmu un Deju svētku kadri, kas liks lepoties ar mūsu tautas tradīcijām un iespējams iedvesmos pievienoties kādam tautas kolektīvam.

Filmas veidotāji meklē iespējas filmu izrādīt ārpus Latvijas, lai par latviešiem pastāstītu plašāk pasaulē. Šobrīd filma ir izrādīta Toronto notikušajos Dziesmu un deju svētkos pagājušā gada jūlijā, Oslo Baltijas filmu dienās, Londonas Baltijas Filmu festivālā, bet 14. martā paredzēta filmas pirmizrāde Latvijā.

Filma ir sagatavota izrādīšanai uz kinoteātru ekrāniem, gan mazākās zālēs uz projektoriem, lai sniegtu skatītājam pilnvērtīgu audiovizuālo pieredzi. Filmā skan gan latviešu, gan angļu valoda, un tai ir pieejami attiecīgie subtitri. Tāpat filmas veidotāji ir gatavi piedalīties ar uzrunu un/vai Q&A sesiju pēc filmas noskatīšanās klātienē vai attālināti, kā arī dalīties ar idejām par filmas izrādīšanas reklamēšanu un papildus aktivitātēm saistībā ar filmas seansu.

Filmas treileris un pirmizrādes plakāts pieejami šeit.

Recently released CD features new sacred and spiritual works performed by Latvian Radio Choir

Egils Kaljo | 19. February

The internationally renowned Latvian Radio Choir has long been an advocate of new music by Latvian composers. Throughout many decades of performances, the Choir has premiered many new works, and not just Latvian composers, but also many internationally known composers, seek out the Latvian Radio Choir, due to their performance and interpretative skills.

In collaboration with the Latvian record label Skani, the Latvian Radio Choir, conducted by Kaspars Putniņš and Sigvards Kļava, released its latest collection of new choir music by Latvian composers in 2024. Entitled Angele Dei, the album features choir works of a sacred and spiritual nature.

Composer Pēteris Vasks has often included spiritual themes in both his choir and instrumental works, and this collection includes two of his choir songs – “Angele Dei” and “Actus Caritatis”, both based on Catholic prayers. The quietly meditative “Angele Dei” gradually builds to an emotional crescendo, and the Latvian Radio choir skillfully presents this work, with its long phrases, with an expressive, emotional depth. Similarly, “Actus Caritatis”, a slow and deliberate work, with its soaring melody, displays Vasks’ innate ability to generate moving and spiritually uplifting music.

“Sensus”, with music by Krists Auzinieks, is a highly complex work for 24 voices, is full of sonic textures and vocal effects. Based upon a fragment from Paul the Apostle’s Letter to the Romans, Auzinieks weaves together the various voices into a dynamic and robust composition. The choir deftly brings together the many disparate voices into an expansive, layered performance, creating an enveloping musical experience.

Ruta Paidere’s “Magnificat” is, as the composer herself states, an attempt to develop “a sound that was archaic but at the same time also contemporary”. Blending elements from various sources, including Jewish and Buddhist chants, as well as from Palestrina’s “Magnificat”, Paidere’s work, at times has the choir whispering, then later builds to a revelatory enlightenment at the conclusion, and the choir provides for a compelling performance of this multi-faceted work.

Andris Dzenītis is a composer who is also known for his melding of multiple styles and elements, modern sounds and traditional elements, and the two compositions on this collection – “Om, Lux Aeterna” and “Lūgšana” (Prayer) are vivid examples of his compositional style. “Om, Lux Aeterna” contains elements from Christian, Buddhist and Vedic beliefs, and, with the choir’s artistic mastery, creates a revealing journey through the world’s religions. On the other hand, “Lūgšana” (the Lord’s Prayer in Latvian) is a calmer, more reflective work, and perhaps less complex than Dzenītis’ works usually are, but still provides an emotional weight with its radiant harmonies.

Santa Ratniece’s “Nighttime Light” is a striking example of Ratniece’s distinctive style, with perhaps less focus on musical harmonies, but with more on sound textures, exploring the boundaries of what a human voice is capable of. The resulting work, at times mysterious, even slightly ominous, is still richly spiritual, and the shimmering vocals gradually dissipate at the work’s ethereal conclusion.

Perhaps the most demanding and challenging work (for both the choir and listeners) on the album is Mārtiņš Viļums’ “The Fate of King Lear’s Children”, inspired by the Irish legend ‘The Children of Lir’. The work is often harsh, with discordant harmonies, and this performance displays the skill and talents of the choir, and particularly conductor Kaspars Putniņš, who deftly weaves together all the many disparate and intricate vocal lines into a cohesive and engaging whole.

Angele Dei, beyond being another testament to the abilities of the Latvian Radio Choir and conductors Kaspars Putniņš and Sigvards Kļava, is also a compelling document of modern Latvian choir music, displaying the great range of abilities and styles currently being implemented by Latvian composers.

For further information, please visit the Latvian Radio Choir website.

Angele Dei

Latvian Radio Choir, conductors Kaspars Putniņš, Sigvards Kļava

LMIC/SKANi 163, 2024

Track listing:

1. Pēteris Vasks – Angele Dei

2. Krists Auznieks – Sensus

3. Ruta Paidere – Magnificat

4. Andris Dzenītis – Om, Lux Aeterna

5. Andris Dzenītis – Lūgšana

6. Santa Ratniece – Nighttime Light

7. Pēteris Vasks – Actus Caritatis

8. Mārtiņš Viļums – The Fate of King Lear’s Children

Egils Kaljo is an American-born Latvian from the New York area . Kaljo began listening to Latvian music as soon as he was able to put a record on a record player, and still has old Bellacord 78 rpm records lying around somewhere.