Ziedonis Āboliņš

1926-2018
Conductor

Ziedonis Abolins was born on 21 March 1926 in Bungsas, Dzirciema parish, Tukums county. In the family also grew a brother, who died at an early age, and a sister. Ziedonis was fascinated by music and singing in particular from an early age. He studied at Lamini Primary School, then at Tukums Gymnasium where he also joined the school choir, and at the same time studied violin with free artist Lasmanis. He was also actively involved in social life – together with his school friend Harijs Gulbis he played in a dance chapel, which was well received from locals.

During the Second World War he was conscripted into the army. The war took him to Germany, where Abolins was wounded and hospitalised. He was then sent to a refugee camp where he sang in the choir led by Professor Adolfs Abele (Ādolfs Ābele). When the refugee camps dispersed, he moved to England in 1947. He settled in North England, in Yorkshire, where he worked at various jobs and in the evenings trained as a civil engineer. After graduation he moved to London where he worked in construction for a large civil engineering firm and was later promoted to the position of a director. Alongside his work, he sang tenor parts in the London Latvian choir led by Alberts Jerums (Alberts Jērums). Jerums considered him to be gifted in conducting, and Ziedonis became assistant conductor and later conductor of the choir. This choir included a singer named Inara Strautmala (Ināra Strautmala) who married Abolins in 1959. The family had a daughter, Inta, and a son, Aldis, who unfortunately later died in an accident.

Abolins founded the London Woodwind (Kokle) Group where he and his wife also played. After gaining experience working with a choir and in a kokle ensemble, Abolins completed his studies at the Music Faculty of the University and graduated successfully. In the autumn of 1987, the Straumeni Mixed Choir was founded, and Abolins started to work in it as a conductor and artistic head of the choir. His daughter Inta was also later involved in conducting. After Latvia regained its independence, he participated in the XXI and XXII Latvian Song Festivals in Riga in 1993 and 1998 with the choir.

In retirement Abolins and his wife moved to their own home Straumeni, devoting much more time to the choir and other social activities as well as finding time to visit Latvia once a year. The conductor passed away on 10 July 2018 at the age of 92.

Abolins was one of the chief conductors at the 9th to 11th English Latvian Song Days, the 5th European Latvian Song Festival in Leeds, England (1982), the 1st World Free Latvian Song Days in Gotland, Sweden (1979), and the 3rd World Free Latvian Song Days in Münster, Germany (1987). He was the music director of the 10th and 11th English Latvian Song Days in Leicester as well as the 2nd Open Air Song Days at the Daugavas Vanagi Foundation's country estate Straumeni. From 1979 he headed the organising committee of the English Latvian Song Days and was one of the conductors of the English Latvian United Men's Choirs. Midlands men have sung at Musmaja., Corby, Straumeni and other Latvian centres of exile under the guidance of Abolins.


Information sources

Auers, V. (2006, 25. marts). “Straumēnu” koŗa diriģents – jubilārs. Brīvā Latvija: Apvienotā “Londonas Avīze” un “Latvija”, 13, 2. Brīvā Latvija: Apvienotā "Londonas Avīze" un "Latvija", Nr.13 (25.03.2006) (periodika.lv)

Ziedonim Āboliņam – 75. (2001, 17. marts). Brīvā Latvija: Apvienotā “Londonas Avīze” un “Latvija”, 11, 6. Brīvā Latvija: Apvienotā "Londonas Avīze" un "Latvija", Nr.11 (17.03.2001) (periodika.lv)

Ziedonis Āboliņš. (b.g.). https://timenote.info/lv/Ziedonis-Abolins-21.03.1926