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