The State Choir Latvija, conducted by Māris Sirmais, have released a CD dedicated to the works of Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. Entitled At the Foot of the Sky and recorded at the Rīga St. John’s Church in April of 2013, the CD collects eight of Ešenvalds’ choir compositions.

Ešenvalds, who has become one of the most popular and best known Latvian composers, and many of his choir works have become beloved by both singers and audiences alike, with “Dvēseles dziesma”, the closing song at the 2013 Song Festival, being a recent example of his ability to compose music that resonates with performers and listeners. Ešenvalds also spent two years at Trinity College at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom as the Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts, a position he held from 2011 to 2013.

The State Choir Latvia, who celebrated their 70th anniversary in 2012, is a seven time recipient of the Latvian Great Music Award, and has been conducted by Sirmais since 1997. The Choir has performed worldwide, from Singapore to New York, and from Oman to Russia.

The CD also features biographies of the State Choir, Ešenvalds and Sirmais in both English and Latvian, as well as an introduction by British composer Gabriel Jackson (whose works were also recorded by the choir on the CD A Ship with Unfurled Sails).

For further information, please visit the State Choir Latvija website at http://www.koris.lv and Ēriks Ešenvalds’ website at http://www.eriksesenvalds.com

Track listing:

1. Tāls ceļš

2. Northern Lights

3. Vineta

4. Seneca’s Zodiac

5. Stars

6. Sun Dogs I: The Witnesses

7. Sun Dogs II: The Beauty of This Miracle

8. In Paradisium

The Bank of Latvia has released a new silver commemorative one Lats coin in honor of composer Jāzeps Vītols, as well as a new circulation one Lats coin with the image of the kokle, a Latvian folk instrument.

Composer Jāzeps Vītols, who celebrates his 150th birthday in 2013, is considered by many to be the father of Latvian choir music. His choir works, including works like “Ziemeļblāzma”, “Karaļmeita”, “Beverīnas dziedonis”, among many others, are a fixture of Latvian Song Festival programs. “Gaismas pils”, his best known choir work, is considered to be the most often performed Latvian choir piece (considering that the Latvian national anthem was not performed during Soviet times, but “Gaismas pils” was). Though well known for his choir music, Vītols also composed many solo songs, as well as piano and symphonic music.

The proof quality Vītols coin was minted by Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (the Netherlands), and the artists were Arvīds Priedīte (graphic design) and Jānis Strupulis (plaster model). The coin has a mintage of 3000.

The kokle, a stringed Latvian folk instrument, according the Bank of Latvia website “…is an instrument originating with the ancient Balts and borrowed by the nearby Finno-Ugric tribes (e.g. the Liv kāndla, Finnish kantele, Estonian kannele) and Slavic peoples (Russian gusli), it is also a symbol of kinship and friendly relations.” The instrument is also mentioned in many Latvian folk songs, including “Krauklīts sēž ozolā”. Even today, this ancient instrument is played and studied and continues to be an essential aspect of Latvian folk music.

The circulation coin was minted by Staatliche Münzen Baden-Württemberg (Germany), and the artists were Anna Heinrihsone (graphic design) and Ligita Franckeviča (plaster model).

Both coins are available for purchase at Latvian Bank locations and at Latvian numismatic shops.

For further information, please visit the Bank of Latvia website http://www.bank.lv

 

Latvian President Andris Bērziņš and his counterparts from Estonia and Lithuania met Aug. 30 with U.S. President Barack Obama in the White House, but the news hardly registered in the United States.

The meeting with Berziņš, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė was meant to highlight the changes the Baltic countries have undergone during the past two decades and to underscore the Baltics’ close relationship to the U.S.

In the Baltics, of course, the meeting was big news. It was prominently displayed on Internet portals and the evening news.

However, the continued speculation about if and when America might strike at Syria dominated coverage in the U.S. A CBS News report about the pending attack, for example, briefly showed Obama flanked by the Baltic presidents, but did not reveal why they were in the White House.

The Washington Post, in a story focusing on White House reaction to Russia nixing a U.N. resolution about Syria, closed with a reference to the Baltic presidents:

Obama also met Friday afternoon in the Cabinet Room with the presidents of three Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — that are on Russia’s doorstep and often act as an irritant to Moscow.

Obama told reporters that the Baltics “are among our most reliable allies in NATO, and our commitment to their security is rock solid.”

Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves then offered Obama a friendly boost on Syria: “The use of chemical weapons is deplorable. The attack demands a response. Those responsible must be held accountable.”

The White House website also published a blog entry about the Baltic presidents’ visit, but devoted most of the space to Obama’s remarks about Syria:

The visit underscored the close ties between the United States and the Baltic states, which are grounded in our shared values, ideals, and interests. The leaders highlighted ongoing cooperation on issues including defense and security, trade and investment, energy and the environment, and global development.

The transcript of the news conference with Obama and the Baltic leaders—including remarks from Bērziņš—is available on the White House website.

One outcome of the meeting with the Baltic heads of state is a joint statement, the text of which can be found on the Latvian president’s website in Latvian and English. The statement notes that “the United States has a profound and enduring interest in the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.”

The Baltic diasporas are mentioned in the last paragraph of the joint statement:

The Baltic states remain grateful to the United States and the American people for their non-recognition policy during the Cold War. Our warm relations are anchored by close interpersonal ties and the rich contributions that the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian diasporas have made to the multi-ethnic culture of the United States.