Members of two Latvian pop and rock music groups with classical music training have joined forces for a six-city tour of the United States, the American Latvian Youth Association has announced.

During February, Marts Kristiāns Kalniņš and Kārlis Auzāns of Autobuss debesīs and Valters Pūce and Kristaps Bergs of Melo-M will perform classical music concerts in Washington, D.C.; Cleveland, Ohio; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles.

All of the musicians received their training in the Emīl Dārziņš Music High School and the Jāzeps Vītols Music Academy of Latvia. Auzāns also has studied in Cologne, Germany.

Kalniņš, son of popular Latvian composer Imants Kalniņš, is lead singer of Autobuss debesīs, a popular Latvian group formed in 1998. Last year, Autobuss debesīs visited the United States for a short tour.

Melo-M is an “instrumental cello rock” group formed in 2004 by Auzāns, who also performs with Autobuss debesīs. Pūce and Bergs are the other members of the trio. The group released its self-titled debut album in June on the Rīga-based Platforma label.

Concerts are scheduled:

• In Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Feb. 4, in the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Washington, D.C., 400 Hurley Ave., Rockville, Md. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is USD 25 or, for senior citizens and college students, USD 20. Children and high school studens will be admitted free. The event is sponsored by the Latvian Organizations of Washington. For further information, telephone Anita Juberte at +1 (301) 869-3127.
• In Cleveland on Saturday, Feb. 11, in the United Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church of Cleveland, 1385 Andrews Ave., Lakewood. The charity program includes champagne and refreshments beginning at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. and the concert at 7 p.m., followed by a ball. Admission to the entire program is USD 50. General admission to the concert and ball is USD 25, admission for senior citizens and students is USD 20. For further information, telephone Brigita Puķite at +1 (216) 577-4370 or Franz Bauer at +1 (440) 320-5959.
• In Kalamazoo on Sunday, Feb. 12, in the Union Bar & Grille, 125 Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo. The concert begins at 4 p.m. In advance tickets cost USD 25 for adults, USD for youth to age 21, USD 5 for children to age 13. Tickets may be ordered by credit card by telephoning the Union Bar & Grille at +1 (269) 384-6756. Ask for the “February 12th Latvian Concert.” Tickets also may be ordered by check, payable to “Kalamazoo Latvian Association,” from Viktorija Krieva, 2526 Bach Ave., Portage, MI 49024. Further information is available by telephoning from Malda Pūtele, +1 (269) 353-8320.
• In Chicago on Saturday, Feb. 18, as part of a Valentine’s Day program and dance, in the Latvian House, 4146 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. A social hour is scheduled at 5 p.m., followed by the concert at 6 p.m., a broadcast of a Latvian hockey game at 7 p.m. and the dance at 9 p.m. General admission to the entire program is USD 35, but for ALJA members and supporters admission is USD 30. General admission to the concert is USD 25, but for ALJA members and supporters admission is USD 20. General admission to the hockey game broadcast and dance is USD 15, but for ALJA members and supporters admission is USD 10. Tables for eight persons may be reserved by contacting Vija Vīksne by e-mail at vijavara@aol.com or by telephone at +1 (310) 850-6940.
• In Seattle on Friday, Feb. 24, in the Latvian Center, 11710 3rd Ave. N.E., Seattle.
• In Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 26, in the Latvian Community Center, 1955 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles. The concert begins at 12:30 p.m. Admission is USD 20. Refreshments will be available by donation. For further information, telephone Vīja Vīksne at +1 (310) 850-6940.

The concert series is sponsored by the American Latvian Youth Association (Amerikas Latviešu jaunatnes apvienība, or ALJA). Further information about the concert tour is available by visiting www.alja.org.

Canadian students interested in competing for a scholarship to work in the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia have until Feb. 15 to submit their application, the Latvian National Federation in Canada (Latviešu Nacionālā apvienība Kanādā, or LNAK) has annnounced on its Web site.

The CAD 2,800 scholarship, funded by LNAK, will go to one student who will work in the museum in Rīga during the summer or fall of this year. The appointment may include archival work, translation or other duties.

To apply, students should prepare a letter in Latvian, addressed to the board of the museum, explaining their qualifications. The letter, according to LNAK, should include information about the student’s education and activity in the Latvian community, as well as indicate willingness to work some weekends.

The letter should be sent before Feb. 15 to the Latvian National Federation in Canada, 4 Credit Union Drive , Toronto ON M4A 2N8, Canada.

Application letters will be forwarded to the museum in Rīga, where the final decision about the scholarship will be made.

Low wages is not the only reason thousands of Latvian residents have left their homeland in recent years in search of work in Ireland, a new study finds, President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga’s press office has announced.

The study, titled “Brīva Latvijas darbaspēka kustība. Īrijas piemērs” (The Free Flow of Latvian Labor: The Case of Ireland) and organized by the Strategic Analysis Commission (Stratēģiskās analīzes komisija), will be presented Jan. 18 in Rīga.

Researchers traveled to Ireland at the end of last year to interview Latvians living in Ireland, Irish employers and Irish laborers. The researchers also spoke to Latvian residents who have returned to the homeland after working in Ireland, as well as employment recruiters in Latvia and Latvian and Irish politicians.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a Jan. 20 conference, “Vai Latvija iet Īrijas pēdās: darbaspēka migrācija” (Is Latvia Following in Ireland’s Footsteps: Labor Migration), that will examine whether Ireland’s experience might be mirrored by Latvia.

The conference, set in the Hotel Bergs in downtown Rīga, will bring together Latvian Foreign Minister Artis Pabriks, Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern and other officials. Pabriks noted that Irish workers now are returning to their homeland.

An official head count of how many Latvian residents have migrated to Ireland is hard to come by. One official in the Latvian embassy in Dublin told Latvians Online the number is about 15,000 to 20,000, but other estimates place the number at twice that many. Some have even suggested the number may be as high as 100,000.

The Strategic Analysis Commission’s study, the press office says, looks at a number of factors that explain labor migration to Ireland, as well as dispels stereotypes about Latvian residents working abroad.

The issue of Latvian workers in Ireland saw increased media attention in Latvia late last year. In Ireland, too, Latvian workers drew attention after it was learned a ferry company was replacing native workers with Latvians.

The Strategic Analysis Commission was formed in April 2004 at the initiative of Vīķe-Freiberga and former Prime Minister Indulis Emsis.