Mixed choir "Zemgale"

Motto
Jelgava's best choir with a name and traditions - for more than half a century! We are diverse, creative and ready to take on new challenges! Therefore - sing to your land, sing with your land!

History
The mixed choir "Zemgale" was founded in 1961 as a teachers' choir of Jelgava city and district. The folk choir "Zemgale" is led by great personalities. In the very beginning, Imants Kokars stood at the control panel of the choir. He was also the initiator of the formation of the choir and led the choir from 1961 to 1967. After I. Kokars, the leadership of the choir was continued by Irēna Jermaka, but for the longest time - almost 20 years - the choir was led by conductor Viesturs Liepiņš, an exceptionally sensitive musician, interpreter and pedagogue, who took over "Zemgali" in the early 1970s, when it had already acquired the name "Tautas choir". Later, Jelena Vavilova - Oglezneva (artistic director of the choir until autumn 1998) took over the leadership of the choir. Choirmasters Jānis Schwartzbach and Gunta Drozdova worked in the same team with J. Vavilova. Conductors Zita Kurševa, Ilva Krauze, Dita Mūrniece, Laura Leontjeva have also worked with "Zemgali" at different times. Since 2002, the young conductor Aigars Meri, rich in creative ideas, has taken over the management of the mixed choir, staging new and interesting repertoire, successfully participating in several international choir competitions. The choir starts the 2009 season with the new conductor Zani Stafeckas and choirmaster Inga Leyland, but from 2012, the choir, in tandem with Z. Stafeckas, is led by conductor Guntis Pavilons.

Repertoire
The repertoire of the "Zemgale" choir includes songs by Latvian and other national composers, folk songs, classical works, and sacred music. The choir has staged large-format compositions: Marħer Zariņš's "Choir Suite", "Curtian zinges and danči", etc. Under the direction of A. Meri, complex compositions of large forms were staged: K. Orf's scenic cantata "Carmina Burana", Š. Gounod's "Messe Solennelle", A. Vivaldi's "Gloria", K. Sen-Sans' "Christmas Oratorio", A. Ramirez's "Misa Criolla", M. Haydn's "Requiem in C minor", etc. The choir has also participated in performances of large-format works by several Latvian authors - I. Kalniņš's oratorios "Morning Act", "Poet and Mermaid", Z. Liepiņš's rock opera "Lāčplēsis", J. Lūsen's "Mystery of a Dream and Love". In 2006, the choir together with the chamber ensemble "Altera Veritas", the string quartet of "Rīgas Kamermüziķu" and other musicians took part in the premiere of A. Dzenīš's composition "Spring Morning". In 2007, the stage oratorio "Paldies, Saule!" by L. Celma of Jelgava was staged for the first time, and in 2012 the choir took part in the production of L. Celma's oratorio "Jersikas derība" and R. Tigula's oratorio "Give, gods". On the other hand, in 2013, the choir "Zemgale" staged large-scale pieces by composers from the Baltic countries, playing them at the international concert "White Music in the White City" organized by them, and in cooperation with the choir "Sidrabe" and composer Jānis Lūsēnas participated in the concert series "Looking for the Sun".

Success
Mixed choir "Zemgale" has also competed in international choir competitions and festivals with notable success: in 2005 in Budapest (Hungary), competing in two categories, the choir won two "silver" diplomas; In 2006, the choir received a "bronze" diploma in Pärnu (Estonia); In 2007, he obtained a 2nd degree diploma in Minsk (Belarus); In 2008, he received a 2nd degree diploma in Bialystok/Hainowka (Poland). In Belarus and Poland, the choir took part in sacred music competitions, playing compositions by G. Peleč, A. Pert, A. Šnitke, P. Chesnakov and A. Arkhangelski. At the beginning of 2009, the choir "Zemgale" took part in the VIII international sacred music festival "Sudraba Zvani" in Daugavpils, obtaining a 1st degree diploma. In April 2009, at the International Choral Music Festival "Tallinn 2009" in Estonia, they won 2nd place and a cash prize in the folk music category.

Forward!
Want to know what will happen in the "next episodes"? Come join and sing with us!