The folklore group Vilki, known for its interpretations of Latvian war songs and the life of the warrior from ancient times through the World War II partisans, is coming to the United States for a 16-city tour in April and May.

Formed in 1992, the group is led by Edgars Lipors and includes eight men. However, only five will be on the U.S. tour, which will commence on April 19 in Seattle, Wash., and conclude May 15 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Vilki, according to the ensemble’s Web site, traces its roots back to 1980 when a history teacher formed an interest group to examine soldiers’ songs. Twice disbanded, the group in 1987 was reformed as the ensemble Liepavots. In 1992, the group reorganized again and became Vilki.

The group draws its material from folk music collections and from its own efforts to collect the memories of soldiers who fought during World War I and II. In addition, group members have learned ancient crafts, such as making music instruments or clothes.

The group released its latest album, the compact disc Aši, aši zīle dzied, in 2002. Vilki began to gain wider popularity with the 2000 release of Dzelzīm dzimu, part of Upe Recording Co.‘s “Latvian Folk Music Collection.”

The U.S. tour will feature 90-minute concerts, according to Maija Zaeska of Minnesota, who is organizing the event. The first half of a concert will feature ancient warrior songs, while the second half will focus on the strēlnieki (the legendary Latvian riflemen of World War I) and the leģionāri (members of the Latvian Legion formed by the occupying German forces during World War II).

The concert tour is organized by the Latvian Welfare Association Daugavas Vanagi and the Cultural Society TILTS, with support from the Latvian government’s Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration.

Concerts are scheduled in:

• Washington at 7 p.m. April 19 in the Latvian Center, 11710 3rd Ave. N.E., Seattle. For further information contact Jānis Kramēns at +1 (425) 941-2753.
• Oregon at 2 p.m. April 21 in the Oregon Latvian Center, 5500 Dosch Road S.W., Portland. For further information contact Dace Garuta at +1 (503) 259-9557.
• California at 1 p.m. April 23 in the Latvian Community Center
  1955 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles. For further information, contact Teodors Lilienšteins at +1 (323) 463-1362.
• Colorado at 7 p.m. April 25 in the Latvian Culture Center of Colorado
  10705 W. Virginia Ave., Lakewood. For further information, contact Aleks Humeyumptewa at +1 (303) 733-9495.
• Minnesota at 7 p.m. April 27 in the Latvian House, 2337 Central Ave. N.E., Minneapolis. For further information, contact Maija Zaeska at +1 (763) 972-2521.
• Wisconsin, at 7 p.m. April 28 in the Latvian House of Milwaukee, 8845 W. Lynx Ave., Milwaukee. For further information, contact Sandra Medne, +1 (414) 963-8623.
• Illinois at 7 p.m. April 29 in the Latvian House, 4146 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. For further information, contact Armands Birkēns, +1 (773) 282-6510.
• Michigan at 12:30 p.m. April 30 in the Kalamazoo Latvian Hall, 100 Cherry Hill Drive, Kalamazoo. For further information, contact Malda Pūtele, +1 (269) 353-8320.
• Indiana at 7 p.m. May 2 in the Latvian Community Center, 1008 W. 64th St., Indianapolis. For further information, contact Eižens Lemke, +1 (317) 409-5825.
• Ohio at 7 p.m. May 3 in the United Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church of Cleveland, 1385 Andrews Ave., Lakewood. For further information, contact Olģerts Kubuliņš,  +1 (216) 676-9166.
• Massachusetts at 7 p.m. May 5 in Latvian Ev.-Lutheran “Trimda” Church of Boston, 58 Irving St., Brookline. For further information, contact Vija Lince, +1 (781) 762-1741.
• New York at 7 p.m. May 6 in the New York Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church, 254 Valentine Lane, Yonkers. For further information, contact Jānis Riekstiņš at +1 (516) 674-8802.
• New Jersey at 2 p.m. May 7 in the Latvian center Priedaine, 1017 Highway 33 East, Freehold. For further information, contact Jānis Students at +1 (732) 836-9750.
• Pennsylvania at 1 p.m. May 10 in the Latvian Society of Philadelphia, 531 North 7th St., Philadelphia. For further information, contact Maija Medne at +1 (856) 227-2520.
• Maryland and the District of Columbia area at 8 p.m. May 13 in the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Washington, D.C., 400 Hurley Ave., Rockville. For further information, contact Ilmārs Dambergs, +1 (301) 424-8217.
• Florida at 5 p.m. May 15 in the Latvian American Center, 1705 9th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. For further information, contact Andris Ritums, +1 (727) 797-1933.

More information about the folklore group Vilki may be found on the ensemble’s Web site, home.parks.lv/vilki.

A Latvian man convicted in the rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in suburban London will spend the rest of his life in a United Kingdom prison.

Viktor Dembovskis, 43, was found guilty March 29 in London’s Central Criminal Court of the May 2005 rape and murder of Jeshma Raithatha, described in British media as a promising and talented student.

Raithatha, who disappeared May 16 after a day of shopping, was found dead in a wooded area of west London. Suspicion soon fell on Dembovskis, who lived nearby and worked in a local car wash. Dembovskis fled to Latvia and his hometown of Līvāni, from which he was extradited to Britain.

Dembovskis was charged with one count of murder and two counts of rape. A jury took three hours to arrive at its verdict, according to British media reports. Dembovskis was sentenced to three life terms.

Following the sentencing, Raithatha’s family issued a statement in which it questioned how Dembovskis, who twice has been convicted of rape in Latvia, was allowed to immigrate to the United Kingdom.

The new MTV Latvija television channel, part of the global music network’s expansion into the Baltic states, will be led by a veteran of the television, music and advertising business, the network announced March 28.

Liliāna Ozoliņa, whose previous experience includes working for Latvijas Neatkarīga televīzija (LNT) where she was responsible for the show “Mūzikas video,” is the new director of MTV Latvija. She will report to the MTV Baltic office in Lithuania and the MTV Networks Europe office in London.

MTV announced March 6 that it will expand into the Baltics. MTV Baltic will include three channels—MTV Eesti, MTV Latvija and MTV Lietuva—each broadcasting in the national language of the respective country. All three channels are expected to begin transmission later this year.

“Our local launches in the Baltic states will provide viewers with an exciting mixture of locally produced and MTV signature programming,” Dean Possenniskie of MTV Networks Europe said in a press release. “It will also offer multiple platform sponsorship for advertisers and will help drive take up of cable and satellite in the Baltic republics.”

The channels, which are expected to reach about 1 million viewers in the Baltics, will be aimed at the 15- to 35-year-old audience.

MTV Baltic will be led by chief executive officer Marius Veselis, a veteran of Lithuanian television.

MTV, now owned by Viacom International Inc., began in the United States in 1981.