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Mixed choir of the Latvian Academy of Culture “Sōla” was founded in 1998. At present the students and graduates of the Academy as well as young people from other universities, schools and workplaces sing in the choir.
“Sōla” tries to enhance its potentials by participating in local and international competitions and festivals. Almost every year the choir takes part in an international competition to amass its experience for further development. During the year "Sōla" prepares approximately 5 different programmes, takes part in various singing events and performs on festive occasions. All of it lets the choir realize its creative potentials and raise the artistic quality, as well as gain new experience.
As of 2004 Kaspars Ādamsons is the artistic director of the choir "Sōla" working together with conductors Kaspars Vēvers and Rūdolfs Bacāns. Since 2008 the vocal coach of the choir is Ilze Latkovska.
2008 was a very productive and interesting year for “Sōla”. For the first time, the choir participated in the “Song Battles” – the competition for the best choir prize of the 24th All-Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Riga. “Sōla” was also proud to be asked to represent Riga and Latvia in international festivals in Germany and Estonia. The choir has always been proud of the Latvian choir tradition and is always happy to present it in other countries. In December, the choir celebrated its 10th anniversary with a release of its first CD, “Pūra dziesmas”.
2009 was the most prolific year in terms of competitions: the choir participated in four choir contests – in Slovenia, Belgium, Latvia, and Norway (the latter with the help of a live radio broadcast) – and each of the competitions was of significance to the choir. For the first time, the male group of the choir participated in the equal voices category (at the 2nd Emīls Dārziņš Choir Competition) and won the first place. The female group of the choir had done that experiment already in 2007 (at the 16th International Stasys Šimkus Choir Competition in Klaipeda, Lithuania), and successfully repeated it also in 2009 (at the 10th International Choir Competition in Maasmechelen, Belgium), winning the first prize in the equal voices category.
Remembering 2010, one must admit that the most spectacular event was participation in the choir festival “Musique en Morvan” in France, where "Sōla" gave several solo concerts and performed W. A. Mozart's “Mass in C-moll” under conductor Pierre Cao at the festival gala concert.
Year 2011 was a special year for “Sōla” granting the choir several notable appreciations in April. Firstly, “Sōla” got the best result among mixed choirs at the yearly choir audition in Latvia and, secondly, “Sōla” participated at international choir competition “Tallinn 2011”, becoming the first place winner of the mixed choir category and the third place winner of the Baroque and Renaissance music category. Moreover, “Sōla” was granted the Grand Prix of the competition thus making it the first Latvian choir to win the main prize ever since the competition has been organized (39 years)! Other contestants for the Grand Prix included 35 choirs from Europe and the USA.
The summer of 2011 was no less active and productive. At the beginning of June “Sōla” performed the concert-exam programme of its two conductors ― Kaspars Vēvers and Rūdolf Bacāns ― thus helping them to graduate from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. At the end of June the choir left for Vilnius and the XVI Student’s Song Festival “Gaudeamus”. The choristers joined not only other Baltic choirs on the big stage for the festival concert, but also gave a performance at the opening concert performing songs by Latvian composers and thus representing Latvia. After a break in July, August started with the yearly choir camp, which provided an opportunity to get ready for the grand concert “Master Song Legend” of Riga 810th anniversary celebration.
The choir’s 13th season officially started on September 11 with “Sōla” joining the brass band of the University of Latvia and mixed choir “De Coro” to give a concert at St. John’s Church. The concert “Destiny of Souls” was organized by the U.S. Embassy in Latvia to commemorate the victims of September 11, 2001. On October 11 “Sōla” gave a performance to various international and domestic cooperation partners of the Latvian Academy of Culture. On November 11, “Sōla” once again gave a concert together with mixed choir “Austrums” performing both choir and solo songs by Emīls Dārziņš. As usual, the choir will conclude the year with its anniversary concert at the second part of December.
Watch this for a video on "Sōla's" history, demonstrated on the choir's 10th anniversary concert in December, 2008.
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Mixed choir of the Latvian Academy of Culture “Sōla” was founded in 1998. At present the students and graduates of the Academy as well as young people from other universities, schools and workplaces sing in the choir.
“Sōla” tries to enhance its potentials by participating in local and international competitions and festivals. Almost every year the choir takes part in an international competition to amass its experience for further development. During the year "Sōla" prepares approximately 5 different programmes, takes part in various singing events and performs on festive occasions. All of it lets the choir realize its creative potentials and raise the artistic quality, as well as gain new experience.
As of 2004 Kaspars Ādamsons is the artistic director of the choir "Sōla" working together with conductors Kaspars Vēvers and Rūdolfs Bacāns. Since 2008 the vocal coach of the choir is Ilze Latkovska.
2008 was a very productive and interesting year for “Sōla”. For the first time, the choir participated in the “Song Battles” – the competition for the best choir prize of the 24th All-Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Riga. “Sōla” was also proud to be asked to represent Riga and Latvia in international festivals in Germany and Estonia. The choir has always been proud of the Latvian choir tradition and is always happy to present it in other countries. In December, the choir celebrated its 10th anniversary with a release of its first CD, “Pūra dziesmas”.
2009 was the most prolific year in terms of competitions: the choir participated in four choir contests – in Slovenia, Belgium, Latvia, and Norway (the latter with the help of a live radio broadcast) – and each of the competitions was of significance to the choir. For the first time, the male group of the choir participated in the equal voices category (at the 2nd Emīls Dārziņš Choir Competition) and won the first place. The female group of the choir had done that experiment already in 2007 (at the 16th International Stasys Šimkus Choir Competition in Klaipeda, Lithuania), and successfully repeated it also in 2009 (at the 10th International Choir Competition in Maasmechelen, Belgium), winning the first prize in the equal voices category.
Remembering 2010, one must admit that the most spectacular event was participation in the choir festival “Musique en Morvan” in France, where "Sōla" gave several solo concerts and performed W. A. Mozart's “Mass in C-moll” under conductor Pierre Cao at the festival gala concert.
Year 2011 was a special year for “Sōla” granting the choir several notable appreciations in April. Firstly, “Sōla” got the best result among mixed choirs at the yearly choir audition in Latvia and, secondly, “Sōla” participated at international choir competition “Tallinn 2011”, becoming the first place winner of the mixed choir category and the third place winner of the Baroque and Renaissance music category. Moreover, “Sōla” was granted the Grand Prix of the competition thus making it the first Latvian choir to win the main prize ever since the competition has been organized (39 years)! Other contestants for the Grand Prix included 35 choirs from Europe and the USA.
The summer of 2011 was no less active and productive. At the beginning of June “Sōla” performed the concert-exam programme of its two conductors ― Kaspars Vēvers and Rūdolf Bacāns ― thus helping them to graduate from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. At the end of June the choir left for Vilnius and the XVI Student’s Song Festival “Gaudeamus”. The choristers joined not only other Baltic choirs on the big stage for the festival concert, but also gave a performance at the opening concert performing songs by Latvian composers and thus representing Latvia. After a break in July, August started with the yearly choir camp, which provided an opportunity to get ready for the grand concert “Master Song Legend” of Riga 810th anniversary celebration.
The choir’s 13th season officially started on September 11 with “Sōla” joining the brass band of the University of Latvia and mixed choir “De Coro” to give a concert at St. John’s Church. The concert “Destiny of Souls” was organized by the U.S. Embassy in Latvia to commemorate the victims of September 11, 2001. On October 11 “Sōla” gave a performance to various international and domestic cooperation partners of the Latvian Academy of Culture. On November 11, “Sōla” once again gave a concert together with mixed choir “Austrums” performing both choir and solo songs by Emīls Dārziņš. As usual, the choir will conclude the year with its anniversary concert at the second part of December.
Watch this for a video on "Sōla's" history, demonstrated on the choir's 10th anniversary concert in December, 2008.
Today is the birthday:
Rūdolfs Bacāns
Rūdolfs Bacāns
