I watched a wonderful concert live over the Internet today. The post-folklore band Iļģi introduced its latest album, Isākās nakts dziesmas, with a set of both old and new material in Rīga’s Club Essential.

The concert, focused on the upcoming Midsummer celebration, was one of two performed June 7 by the band.

The first four songs were old ones from previous albums or concerts, including an updated “Seju vēju,” off the band’s 2000 album of the same name, and “Šķērsu dienu saule teka” from Kaza kāpa debesīs (2003).

Only on the fifth song, with lead singer Ilga Reizniece donning a crown of flowers, did the band turn to its newest album. One of my favorites, “Sit, Jānīti, vara bungas,” was first. “Visu gadu Jānīts nāca” came next, followed by “Visu gadu Jānīts jāja,” the first and second tracks on the album. The band finished up its new material with “Visi ziedi izziedēja” and “Saule brida miglājosi.”

Iļģi then reached back a decade for “Kalnā kāpu skatīties,” which appears on the band’s 1998 album Saules meita. “Kas varēja grožus vīt,” the first track on Sēju vēju, sounded as good as ever.

Another favorite song, “Šķiraties(i), zosu pulki,” from the band’s wedding-themed Ne uz vienu dienu (2006) came next, although the live version lacked the spunk of the recording. In preparation for the dance party that was to follow the concert, Iļģi then played “Valsis uguns gaismā,” a waltz off the instrumental Ej tu dejot, released last year. After another instrumental, Iļģi closed out the concert with “Tumsa tumsa kas par tumsu,” the final track on Sēju vēju.

Opening for Iļģi was the Rīga-based women’s folk ensemble Laiksne. The group performed a half-hour cycle of songs leading up to a Jāņi celebration. On stage with Laiksne was Gatis Gaujenieks of Iļģi, who accompanied the singers with his bass.

Thanks to recording company Platforma Music and its sponsors for providing the streaming video. I’m happy the Flash-powered connection held up for the entire concert. In full-screen mode, the picture quality wasn’t the greatest, but should I complain for getting to watch one of Latvia’s best bands for free?

The stream continued for the dance party, with the aerobic “Pankūkas” starting off the set. Members of Rīgas Daņcu klubs helped lead the event. Others dances included “Vidzemes žīga,” “Dirižablis” and “Cūkas griķos,” among several more.

With the Midsummer holiday—celebrating the shortest night of the year—approaching later this month, the post-folklore group Iļģi has released its latest album.

Titled Īsākās nakts dziesmas, the album is the 12th by the group, which marked its 20th anniversary in 2006. The album is already available in digital format at platforma.lv and in compact disc format next week in Latvian stores.

The album has 11 tracks, which according to recording company Platforma have a “goal to speak to, interest and entrance even those people, who until now have not seen the true meaning and wonder of Midsummer.”

Tracks include:

1. Visu gadu Jānīts nāca
2. Visu gadu Jānīts jāja
3. Jāņu mātes pagalmā
4. Sit, Jānīti, vara bungas
5. Saule brida miglājosi
6. Labvakari, rudzu lauks
7. Te staigāj’ši Jāņa bērni
8. Jāņu dancis
9. Visi ziedi izziedēja
10. Tā sacīja, tā bij’ tiesa
11. Līgojami, līgojami

Iļģi includes Ilga Reizniece, Māris Muktupāvels, Gatis Gaujenieks, Egons Kronbergs and Mārtiņš Linde.

The band has two CD release concerts set June 7 in the Club Essential in Rīga. The concerts will be available for viewing live through Platforma’s Web site. The band also has a Midsummer-themed concert set June 13 in Rīga’s Vērmaņdārzs, after which Reizniece will lead lessons about how to celebrate Jāņi.

Īsākās nakts dziesmas is being released with support from the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the Latvian Foundation and the American Latvian Assocation’s Culture Fund.

For a look into recording of the new album at Gaujenieks’ GEM Studija, see this video on YouTube. For more on the band, visit the Iļģi Web site at ilgi.lv.

A 22-year-old woman from Latvia has been named a laureate in the 2009 Queen Elisabeth violin competition held in Belgium.

Vineta Sareika, who hails from Jūrmala, was chosen as one of six unnamed laureates out of 12 finalists in the competition. The first prize winner was Ray Chen of Australia.

Sareika is a graduate of the CNSM (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris) in France, and since 2006 has continued her studies at the Queen Elisabeth College of Music in Waterloo, Belgium. As a member of the Dali Piano Trio, Sareika has won awards at several music competitions, including first prize in the 2008 Osaka Competition in Japan.

Her performances include concerts with the national orchestras in Belgium and Latvia, with orchestras in Poland and Portugal, and in venues around the world.

Sareika was one of 83 violinists entered in the Queen Elisabeth Competition. As one of 12 finalists, she performed during the week of May 25-30 in the Brussels Centre for Fine Arts. All finalists had to perform a sonata for violin and piano, a concerto, and the work named the winner of the 2008 Queen Elisabeth composition competition.

As a laureate, Sareika is to receive a cash award of EUR 4,000 and will perform a recital.