1st Franconia region Latvian Day of Song in Fischbach, 28-30 June 1946
Chairman of the organising committee – Jēkabs Poruks. Honorary chief conductor – Ādolfs Ābele. Chief conductors: Arnold Kalnājs, Jānis Ūdris, Ferdinands Valdmanis. The main choir concert took place on a specially built stage in the Fischbach camp’s pine grove. 650 singers took part with an audience of 5 000 people. The parade of choirs at this festival was particularly significant: “The first such parade in exile through Fischbach became unforgettable. Although the soil of a foreign land was under our feet, our national flags fluttering in the southern German sun and wind, folk costumes gleaming in all possible colours and the singers proudly raising their heads showed that these exiles, abandoned to fate, still maintained the image of an eternal Latvia before them and neither enemies nor the envious could take that away from them.” (Bērzkalns, Valentīns. Latvian Song Festivals in Exile. 1968, p 30) Main events: Productions of the play Ķīnas vāze (The Chinese Vase, Mārtiņš Zīverts) by the Mercfeld Latvian camp and the play Ļaunais gars (Evil Spirit, Rūdolfs Blaumanis) by the Fischbach Latvian camp, a Latvian literature hour, an applied-art exhibition, sports displays. “It is not in a Latvian’s nature to be carried away into oblivion at a carnival, to delight in the giant arenas of bullfighting and boxing, but in summer, in every Latvian district, one can hear songs rustling through birch groves, and Latvians listened to the magic of this rustling. In song, they carried this rustling into strange lands, alongside their hearts. After two years of exile, this is the first attempt to get Latvians to call to each other in a miniature form, within one region and, as a small illusion, for one day not to feel devoid of personality, but to be a nation with its own standing, traditions and values.” (Poruks, Jēkabs. Franconia region Latvian Day of Song in Fischbach bei Nürnberg, 28-30 June 1946. pp 3–4) 2nd Franconia region Latvian Day of Song in Bayreuth, 7 July 1946 Chairman of the organising committee – Jēkabs Poruks. Honorary chief conductor – Ādolfs Ābele. Chief conductors: Arnolds Kalnājs, Jānis Ūdris, Ferdinands Valdmanis. The main concert took place at the Richard Wagner Festspielhaus, the main venue of Bayreuth’ s Wagner Festival. 400 singers took part with an audience of some 1 500 people. 3rd Franconia region Latvian Day of Song in Ansbach, 20-21 July 1946 Chairman of the Franconia region organising committee – Jēkabs Poruks. Chairman of the Ansbach organising committee – Ludvigs Rozentāls, vice-chairman – Kārlis Romaševskis. Honorary chief conductor – Ādolfs Ābele. Chief conductors: Arnolds Kalnājs, Jānis Ūdris, Ferdinands Valdmanis. Velta Freivalde, director of the local choir, also conducted at the Ansbach Day of Song. The main choir concert of took place in the open air in the Castle park. 600 singers performed for an audience of 5 000 people. The combined-choir concert was introduced by a parade that began at the local Latvian camp in the Hindenburg barracks. Main events: exhibition of applied art, ethnography and paintings, sacred music concert, performance of the play Trīnes grēki (Trīne’s Sins, Rūdolfs Blaumanis), sports competitions. 4th Franconia region Latvian Day of Song in Eichstadt, 4 August 1946 Chairman of the organising committee of the Franconia Day of Song – Jēkabs Poruks. Chairman of the Eichstadt Latvian Day of Song organising committee – Ludvigs Rozentāls, deputy chairman – Kārlis Romaševskis. Honorary chief conductor – Ādolfs Ābele. Chief conductors: Arnolds Kalnājs, Jānis Ūdris, Ferdinands Valdmanis. Jānis Puisēns, director of the Eichstadt choir, also conducted. 700 singers took part in the main concert with an audience of 7 000 people. The combined choir concert was introduced by a parade. Main events: concert by the Dzimtene (Homeland) quartet, performance of the play Nebrauc tik dikti (Slow Down, Jānis Lejiņš), sports competitions. 5th Franconia region Latvian Day of Song in Augsburg, 24-25 August 1946 Chairman of the organising committee of the Franconia Day of Song – Jēkabs Poruks. Chairman of the Augsburg Latvian Day of Song organising committee – Oto Krolls, Vice-chairs – Ž. Upīte, A. Šrāders. Honorary chief conductor – Ādolfs Ābele. Chief conductors: Arnolds Kalnājs, Jānis Ūdris, Ferdinands Valdmanis. Jānis Grebežs, Hansis Lespa and Alberts Linde, directors of local Augsburg choirs, also conducted. The main choir concert took place on the open-air stage of the old Augsburg castle (Freilichtspiel am Roten Tor). 500 singers took part with an audience of 4 000 people. Main events: Baltic brass-band concert, performance of the play Labāki cilvēki (Better People, Anšlavs Eglītis), Latvian People’s university exhibition, sports demonstrations and competitions. Elbe region Latvian Day of Song at Geeschstadt near Hamburg, 30 June 1946 The Saules (Sun) camp, lead by commandant Nikolajs Ošiņš, formed the organising committee. Chief conductors: Eduards Ramats, Daumants Vītols and Roberts Zuika. 300 singers took part in the main choir concert with an audience of 5 000 people. The combined choir concert was introduced by a parade of participants. The Saule camp also put on a review of the year’s Latvian works. State of Greater Hesse Latvian Day of Song at Hanau near Mainz (Hanau region Latvian Day of Song), 27 October 1946 Organising committee chairman – A. Ogriņš. Chief conductors: Ernests Brusubārdis, Pauls Kunstmanis and Meta Krišjāne-Vīgnere. 360 singers took part in the main choir concert with an audience of 2 500 people. There was also a separate sacred music concert and an exhibition featuring some 60 painters and craftspeople.Esslingen Song Festival, 23-25 May 1947
From the very beginning of the period of exile, Esslingen was one of the most active centres of Latvian culture. Chairman of the organising committee – Jānis Labsvīrs. Honorary chief conductor – Ādolfs Ābele. Chief conductors: Jānis Austrums, Pēteris Banders, Jānis Dūmiņš, Haralds Lindemanis. The closing concert took place at a sports ground on the banks of the river Neckar, using the grandstand as the stage. 1 000 singers participated in the main choir concert. The closing concert started with a parade from the people’s school. Main events: concert by the Tēvija (Fatherland) double quartet, an exhibition of the artists’ association, crafts’ association, artisan union and home-economics section, symphonic music concert, writers’ morning, Esslingen Latvian theatre performance of Minhauzena precības (Munchausen’s Wedding, Mārtiņš Zīverts).Day of Song commemorating the 75th anniversary of the 1st All-Latvian Song Festival, at Fischbach near Nuremberg, Bavaria, 25-28 June 1948
Chairman of the organising committee – Ādolfs Ābele. Chief conductors: Ādolfs Ābele, Arnolds Kalnājs, Pēteris Banders. The main choir concert took place on a specially built platform. 680 singers performed to an audience of 5-6 000 people. Before the commemorative day of song, in February of the same year, the Latvian Committee for the Bavaria Region announced a composers’ competition for choral songs. This was the first time such a competition took place in exile – 12 authors participated with 42 works. First prize was awarded to Jānis Kalniņš for his mixed choir song Pirmā nakts (First Night, lyrics by Zinaida Lazda) and the male choir song Pavasara dienas (Spring Days, lyrics by Jānis Rainis). Jānis Norvilis was awarded 2nd prize for the mixed choir song Laiks (Time, lyrics by Kārlis Skalbe) and 3rd prize went to Viktors Baštiks for his male choir song Kā sniegi (Like Snow, lyrics by Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš). In total, 14 songs won awards and were subsequently published in the collection Fourteen Songs. Main events: On 25 June, an hour of music by Jāzeps Vītols was performed at the Valka camp theatre, honouring the composer’s lifelong contribution to the development of Latvian music (Jāzeps Vītols had passed away on 24 April 1948); Fischbach, Würzburg and Augsburg theatre-company performances: Vecais pilskungs (Lord of the Manor, Elīna Zālīte and Augusts Deglavs), Ozolnieka meita (Ozolnieks’ Daughter, Minna Dišlere), Vilks Rīgā (A Wolf in Rīga, Teodors Zeltiņš), Meitene ar raksturu (The Girl with Character, Ģirts Salnais), Kāds, kura nav (Someone not There, Mārtinš Ziverts); a writers’ afternoon; an exhibition of works by painters and craftspeople; several screenings of the refugee film Kas mēs esam (Who We Are); football matches and a parade of the Viesturs guards’ company; folk costume awards. Jēkabs Poruks, chairman of the festival executive committee, said: “But there is no way we cannot celebrate this day, utilising the 75th aniversary of the song festival as a symbol. We owe this celebration to our own human dignity at a time that it is most under threat. On this day, we want to relate to each other in the blooded voices of our forefathers, in Latvian song that calls to us through centuries: stand and bear it, remain who you are, then you will triumph. This is not meant for anyone else, because we know how little such demonstrations mean. If only this day would become a boundary for ourselves, the threshold of our inner rebirth, if only it would awaken not only the memories of the past, but the true forces of humanity for our new lives. If the older generation has not been destined to experience that, then at least it can have the selfless fortune to become the seed that falls to the earth and generates new growth. This growth will build our land and state, and in this sacrosanct conviction we say: God Bless Latvia!” (Bērzkalns, Valentīns. Day of Song commemorating the 75th anniversary of the 1st All-Latvian Song Festival, Fischbach Latvian Camp near Nuremberg, Bavaria, 27 June, 1948). p 5) Day of Song commemorating the 75th anniversary of the 1st All-Latvian Song Festival, in North Germany, Lübeck, 24-25 July 1948 Chairman of the organising committee – Jānis Rudzītis. Chief conductors: Helmers Pavasars, Eduards Ramats, Roberts Zuika. The main choir concert took place at the Mēzene camp sports hall. The choir of 400 sang to an audience of 2 000 people. Main events: A concert dedicated to the 85th anniversary of composer Jāzeps Vītols took place at the Lübeck Latvian Theatre (Jāzeps Vītols had passed away in Lübeck on 24 April 1948); performance of the play Brīnumzālīte (The Miracle Cure, Rūdolfs Blaumanis). Day of Song commemorating the 75th anniversary of the 1st All-Latvian Song Festival, in Glasenbach, Austria, 11 July 1948 By 1948, only 2 000 Latvians still remained in Austria. Chairman of the organising committee – O. Siktārs. Two choirs participated, led by conductors A. Vasariņš and O. Liepa. Commemoration of the Ist Latvian Song Festival in Hanau, 17 September 1948 Four choirs participated, led by conductors Ernests Brusubārdis, Juris Dzegūze, Tikla Ilstere and Meta Muižarāja-Vīgnere. Commemoration of the Ist Latvian Song Festival in Rottweil, 7 November 1948 Chief conductors: Jānis Austrums, Jānis Dūmiņš, Tikla Ilstere. 150 singers took part in the main concert with an audience of 500 people. The event also included a writers’ hour and the local theatre company’s production of Jaunsaimnieka līgava (The Settler’s Bride, Evelīna Grāmatniece (Sibilla)).I Latvian Song Days in Germany, Stuttgart, 24-26 September 1976
The main organizer of the Song Days – Pastor Elmārs Ernests Rozītis; the music director – composer Longīns Apkalns. The main venues were the Hospitalhof Great Hall and the Stiftskirche church in Stuttgart. Main events – United Choir Concert, Folklore Evening, Youth Song and Dance Concert, Ecumenical Service and Festive Ball. The Folklore Evening gathered about 600 listeners, the joint concert about 800 listeners, but about 500 participants rejoiced at the closing ball. The festival was attended by choirs from the German cities of Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne, Memmingen, Münster, Oldenburg, as well as participants from Australia. The uplifting mood of the holiday is reflected in the publication Latvija no. 36 (02.10.1976):The ecumenical power, the solo and choir singing uplifted the service. In the joint concert "Latvia", the national anthem sounded as it should sound, the concert itself ended with Alfrēds Kalniņš Mēs gribam būt kungi (We shall be the kings). And for an impromptu rehearsal at the ball, the ladies and gentlemen dressed in festive clothes suddenly got up to sing – Gaismas pils (The Castle of Light)!II Latvian Song Days in Germany, Munich, 5-7 June 1981
P. Biezais, Chairman of the Song Days Steering Committee. The main venues were the Munich House of Artists and St. Matthew's Church. Main events – Writers’ Symposium, a production of R. Blaumanis’ play "Zagļi" (Thieves), youth concert "Raibais vakars", festive service, combined choir concert, G. Graudiņš’ exhibition of Latvian cultural and historical objects, A. Spurdziņš’ photography exhibition, and the closing ball. The concert of the combined choirs took place under the direction of chief conductors M. Opeskin, Z. Āboliņš, M. Zandbergs and M. Dreimanis, with the participation of 120 singers from the German cities of Munich, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne, Münster, Oldenburg, as well as guests from London. A total of 650 participants took part in the events, which were attended by one and a half thousand people.Commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Esslingen Song Festival, 16-18 June 2017
Main coordinator – Laura Putāne, assistant coordinator – Karīna Cīglere. The extensive three-day programme featured 700 members of 33 Latvian groups from 11 countries and Esslingen residents and guests were able to experience, just as 70 years previously, the richness of Latvian culture – songs, dances, theatre, cinema, crafts, traditional singing and dancing. Before the opening ceremony, the festival parade took place, with Latvian flags fluttering and songs resounding through the streets of Esslingen, where Latvians once lived and worked. The parade ended at the city’s market square. Main events: performance by the Gaujiena creative group A Meeting with Jāzeps Vītols; dance groups performing in different parts of the city; combined choir concert; grand dance performance; launch of Ligita Kovtuna’s book Memories of Esslingen; Dzelzs Vilks (Iron Wolf), the Liepupe Male Ensemble and London Latvian group Austrumkalns played at the festival ball; viewers were delighted by Latvian folklore groups from both Latvia and other countries, and male choirs Dziedonis (Minstrel) and Gaudeamus invited them to a joint concert, at the end of which the choirs and audience joined in once again singing the moving Saule, Pērkons, Daugava (Sun, Thunder, Daugava), with composer Mārtinš Brauns at the piano. The festival programme also included a screening of Dzintra Geka’s documentary Dieva putniņi (Birds of God) in the presence of the director; a Latvian craftspeople’s market was in full swing and in the evenings, the special festival tavern Rīgas Runcis (Tomcat) welcomed all. The Esslingen City Museum hosted the Latvians in Esslingen 1947 exhibition about Latvians’ lives here in the 1940s. The exhibition was created using materials from the Latvian National Archives. The festival culmination – a performance of the musical Esslingen, a story of exiled Latvians, which, was prepared over a period of nine months by 60 Latvians from seven countries, under the direction of Jānis Mūrnieks. The musical’s composer Lolita Ritmane, who lives in the US, introduced the musicical, but before the performance, the more than 900 spectators filling the city concert hall honored the memory of Alberts Legzdiņš, creator of the Esslingen concept. Source: Latvian song and dance festival, 70th Anniversary of the Esslingen Song Festival, completes its ambitious programme in Germany. Esslingen creative team. 2017–2018 https://www.esslingen2017.deCommemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Esslingen Song Festival
Text not available in English.Ist Latvian Days of Song in England, London, 17-19 June 1949
Honorary Chairman of the organising committee – Kārlis Zariņš, Chairman – Alberts Jērums. Chief conductors: Alberts Jērums, Viktors Baštiks and Daumants Vītols. The main choir concert took place at Kingsway Hall. There were 400 singers with an audience of 2 000 people. Main events: Jāzeps Vītols Evening at the Chelsea Hall; Bīstamais vecums (A Dangerous Age, Elīna Zālīte), a comedy perfomed by the Bradford dramatic group; screenings of the documentary Kas mēs esam (Who We Are). Kārlis Zariņš, the Latvian Ambassador5 and Honorary Chairman of the organising committee: “The oldest and strongest tradition of the Latvian people has always been song. We all know the saying “Dziedot dzimu, dziedot augu, dziedot mūžu nodzīvoju (I was Born Singing, I Grew up Singing, I Lived my Life Singing)” from our childood and it is indeed accurate. Latvians have expressed their joys and sorrows in song. Now too, when living in exile, we do not forget this tradition and gather together in a united family of song, so that, with Latvian songs, we call to each other to return to our homeland – Free Latvia.” (Latvian Days of Song in England: London, 17, 18, 19 June 1949; Leeds, 23, 24 July 1949. p 3) A concert reprising the June London Days of Song was held in Leeds on 23-24 July. The reasoning was that London was too far to travel for Latvians living in England’s Midlands and North. These days of song are called a reprise of the Ist Latvian Days of Song in England. The programme and participants are the same as in London. The main choir concert took place at the Leeds Town Hall and was attended by 2 000 people. During the Days of Song, the play Zagļi (The Thieves, Rūdolfs Blaumanis) was performed by the Bradford dramatic group. 5 The United Kingdom did not officially recognise the Soviet annexation of the Baltic States, consequently ambassadors retained their positionIInd Latvian Days of Song in England, Leicester 17-18 June 1950
Honorary Chairman of the organising committee – Kārlis Zariņš, Chairman of the executive committee – Ērika Sarkanbārde. Chief conductors: Alberts Jērums, Viktors Baštiks, Daumants Vītols and Alma Skudra-Kārkliņa. Leicester has been geographically advantageous for all the Latvians living in England because it is half way between London and Leeds. The main choir concert was held in the De Montfort Hall, with 400 singers taking part. Main events: ballet afternoon; a new works’ concert and a concert of Latvian music, with the Leicester folk dance group participating in the finale. Kārlis Zariņš, Latvian Ambassador and Honorary Chairman of the organising committee, addressed England’s Latvian activists as follows: “Warmest greetings to our singing community, and to those who open our bright treasure chest of songs, and to those who, having travelled to Leicester from every part of Britain, will appreciate these uncovered treasures and store them in their hearts. So, from generation to generation, this Latvian song chest has been the living link that binds us in a united family. Song has been a trustworthy companion of the Latvian people, both in happy and unhappy times. We have now been walking the uneven roads of exile for ten years. We have lost much, but not our Latvian heart and song.” (Latvian Days of Song in England organising committee. Latvian Days of Song in England: 17-18 June 1950 in Leicester. 1950) The Leicester Days of Song were reprised in London on 22-23 July of the same year. They were organised by the Latvian Society in Great Britain with the London Latvian Choir. The choir concert took place in Brompton’s St. Trinity Church. The combined choir featured 140 singers with an audience of 1 000 people. The conductors were Alberts Jērums, Alma Skudra-Kārkliņa and Roberts Zuika. Main events: an evening of new works; performance of the play Trīnes grēki (Trīne’s Sins, Rūdolfs Blaumanis); writer Jānis Zanders gave a lecture on the psychology of exile; the closing event was at the Hammersmith Town Hall, featuring the choir concert and nine folk dances by the London Latvian folk-dance group.IIIrd Latvian Days of Song in England, London, 27-29 July 1951
Honorary Chairman of the organising committee – Kārlis Zariņš, Chairman – Alberts Jērums. Chief conductors: Teodors Reiters, Alberts Jērums, Roberts Zuika. This festival is important because a competition for choral and solo songwriters is announced, attracting 12 composers with 36 works. 1st prize for choral works was awarded to composer Tālivaldis Ķeniņš for his mixed choir song Svešie dārzi (Strange Gardens, lyrics by Veronika Strēlerte), 2nd prize was awarded to composer Jānis Norvilis for the songs Abavmalā (On the Banks of the Abava, lyrics by Velta Sniķere) and Pie sētiņas (At the Fence, lyrics by Jānis Ezeriņš). 1st prize for solo songs was awarded to composer Alberts Jērums for the works Miega dziesma (Sleeping Song) and Piedod man (Forgive Me, lyrics by Veronika Strēlerte), while 2nd prize went to Tālivaldis Ķeniņš for his work Tālā dārza putns (Bird in the Far Garden, lyrics by Zinaīda Lazda). Jāzeps Vītols Foundation prizes were awarded for the first time during the festival. They were received by Tālivaldis Ķeniņš, commissioned with writing a piano trio, and Helmers Pavasars for his works composed in exile. The main choir concert took place at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, 440 singers taking part with an audience of 5 000 people. Other events: an evening of Latvian songs at the Wigmore Hall; concert of instrumental works at the Kingsway Hall; performance of the play Cenzūra (Censorship, Mārtiņš Zīverts); writers’ evening; folk-dance competition; basketball games. Works by the painter Valdemārs Tone, were exhibited at the Kensington Gallery during the festival, and Tone also headed the folk-costume competition. This was the first time that such a competition is mentioned during exile song festivals. The winner of the main prize – Londoner M. Bērziņa – won a trip to Switzerland. This festival also had reprise concerts in autumn of the same year in Leicester (30 September) and Bradford (27 October). The Leicester concert took place at the Cooperative Hall. Chief conductors – Viktors Baštiks and Arvīds Purvs. The Bradford concert was held at the Eastbrook Hall, home of the local Methodist Church. 170 singers took part with an audience of 2 000 people. Chief conductors were Jānis Barušs, Andrejs Pommers, A. Tiģeris and Daumants Vītols. The next major event in England was the Commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the 1st All-Latvian Song Festival in London, 2-4 October 1953. Chairman of the organising committee – Augusts Abakuks. The celebratory concert was held in the Archway Hall. 157 singers took part with an audience of 1 000 people. Conductors were Roberts Zuika and Alberts Jērums. Main events: concert by singer Ksenija Bidiņa and pianist Daina Šillere; performance of The Play at the Castle (Ferenc Molnár); exhibitions of works by young artists and craftspeople.IVth Latvian Days of Song in England, Manchester, 10-11 July 1954
Honorary Chairman of the organising committee – Kārlis Zariņš, Chairman – Andrejs Pommers. Chief conductors: Alberts Jērums, Daumants Vītols, Roberts Zuika and Andrejs Pommers. The main concert took place in the Free Trade Hall. The choir of 189 sang to an audience of 2 000 people. Main events: basketball games; Latvian singing evening; performance of the play Svētki Skangalē (Celebration in Skangale, Edvards Vulfs); writers’ morning; book and handicraft exhibition and Latvian stamp display. Andrejs Pommers, chairman of the IVth Latvian Days of Song organising committee, said: “As we gather for the Days of Song in west England’s cultural centre in Manchester, we will rise above our everyday lives and the fate of exile. May song clarify things for us and give us strength, because we sing for Latvia.” (Fourth Latvian Days of Song in England: 10 and 11 July 1954, p 5) The reprise for this festival took place in Leicester on 28 August. Chairman – Kārlis Ampermanis. Chief conductors: Roberts Zuika, Alberts Jērums and Arvīds Purvs. The concert took place at the Edward Wood Hall, with a choir of 140 singers and an audience of more than 500 people.Vth Latvian Days of Song in England, Leicester 12-13 July 1958, in parallel with the 85th anniversary of the Ist All-Latvian Song Festival
Honorary Chairman of the organising committee – Kārlis Zariņš, Chairman – Kārlis Ampermanis. Chief conductors: Alberts Jērums, Roberts Zuika, Andrejs Pommers and Helmers Pavasars. The main choir concert took place in the De Montfort Hall. The choir consisted of 250 singers with an audience of 2 200 people. The concert was enriched by folk dance demonstrations by Leeds folk dance group Kamoliņš6. Main events: exhibition of paintings and crafts; Trīnes grēki (Trīne’s Sins, Rudolfs Blaumanis) performed by Corby Latvians; new works’ concert; writers’ morning. Kārlis Zariņš, Chairman of the organising committee: “This era of exile is full of struggle and grim experiences. We must not lose heart here, but keep our national spirit alive and vigilant. That is how our ancestors understood the meaning of their lives. We also have the same thoughts, the same mood. This is our nation’s wealth. By maintaining this spirit of national unity, it will be easier for us to await the moment when the Latvian people, once again united, will regain their sovereign rights and rebuild their country – beautiful and strong. May God help us.” (Latvian Days of Song in England: 12 and 13 July 1958 in Leicester. 1958, p 4) For these days of song, a reprise concert took place on 8 November of the same year in Bradford. The reprise was combined with the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Latvia’s independence. The main choir concert took place in Shipley’s Victoria Hall. 150 singers were conducted by Alberts Jērums, Helmers Pavasars and Roberts Zuika. Three dance groups participated in the event: Kamoliņš from Leeds, Rota (Ornament) from Nottingham and Sakta (Brooch) from Bradford. 6 Translates as “ball of wool”, but comes from a traditional Latvian dance in which the dancers’ movements mimic spinning and weaving. A common Latvian idiom.VIth Latvian Days of Song in England, Bradford, 20-22 May 1961
Honorary Chairman of the organising committee – Kārlis Zariņš, Chairman – Mārtinš Kazainis. Chief conductors: Alberts Jērums, Helmers Pavasars, Andrejs Pommers, Roberts Zuika. The main choir concert took place in the St George’s Hall. 300 people took part (including seven dance groups with 100 dancers), with an audience of 1 500 people. Main events: exhibition of artists and crafts’’ groups and painter Juris Soikāns; concert by Paula Brīvkalne; lectures by painter Juris Soikans; new works’ concert; folk dance demonstrations. Kārlis Zariņš, Honorary Chairman of the organising committee: “Now too, in a foreign country and far away from our homeland, we cannot allow anything to be forgotten, for anything to be cast off. Let us learn everything of worth that we see in this place strange to us, but let us remain Latvians, no matter where fate leads us, no matter how long we will be away from Latvia. Let’s sing our beautiful songs. Song always touches the soul. For centuries, singing cast a ray of sunshine over the harshest days of the Latvian nation and turned our moments of happiness into unbridled joy. Now, in the course of our long alienation, singing binds us to the virtues of our father’s fathers, singing binds Latvians to one another. God bless Latvia!” (Latvian Days of Song in England: Bradford, 20, 21, 22 May, 1961. p 4). For these days of song, the reprise concert took place on 15-16 July of the same year in Leicester. Chief conductors: Alberts Jērums, Andrejs Pommers and Helmers Pavasars. The concert took place in the De Montfort Hall, with 140 singers and an audience of 1 000 people. Main events: an evening with dancer Vija Vētra; writers’ evening; exhibition of Latvian paintings and handicrafts.VIIth Latvian Days of Song in England, Leicester 9-11 June 1967
Honorary Chair of the organising committee – Teodots Visvaldis Ozoliņš, Chairman – Kārlis Ampermanis. Chief conductors: Tikla Ilstere (Germany), Alberts Jērums, Helmers Pavasars, Andrejs Pommers. The main choir concert took place in the De Montfort Hall. Main events: writers’ evening; exhibition of paintings and crafts; theatre performance of Skroderodienas Silmačos (The Tailor Visits Silmači, Rūdolfs Blaumanis); new works’ concert; young people’s morning. Honorary Chair of the organising committee Teodots Visvaldis Ozoliņš: “The spirit of our songs had been a traditional and inseparable part of our nation for thousands of years, even before our first song festival in Dikļi. It is as old as our nation itself. Our individual music has branched out from it. It is accompanied by the art of words in poetry and prose. Similarly, the joy of colour and form shown by painting and arts and crafts expresses the sense of beauty developed over centuries. But beauty is the virtue we have witnessed during the Latvian Days of Song in England in Leicester.” (Latvian Days of Song in England: Leicester, De Montfort Hall, 9, 10, 11 June 1967. p 5) A reprise concert was held in Bradford.