Vecumnieki Music School: 'Draugi' - The Only Jazz-Symphony Orchestra in Latvia

All the photographs in this post are by Žanna Zālīte, editor in chief, publisher and reporter of "Vecumnieku Ziņas" (Vecumnieki News) - the paper of District Vecumnieki. Our family is grateful to Žanna for giving us these pictures.

Christmas time full of surprises. The string/woodwind orchestra Draugi of Vecumnieki Music And Art School (Vecumnieku Mūzikas un mākslas skola) were inviting the people of District Vecumnieki to a concert. What we saw there was far beyond our expectations.

We are happy and proud that our daughter Terēze Neliusa has been given the possibility to play shoulder to shoulder with these high level string virtuosos.

The dynamic string rendering of pieces from world's classic reinforced with the woodwinds and drums heated up the audience, and we got the feeling that they can carry away even those least inclined to listening in. The colorful rhythmical patterns were backing up the melody in a very skillful manner, and the musicians played their soul out.

The orchestra is led by two teachers - music fanatics - Solvita Loka and Aigars Dziļums.

Celebrated opera soloists and popular music stars were taking part in the concert making it unforgettable for the audience.

Advent 2011 In Stelpe School

The story about the Prodigal Son told in a contemporary manner stirred the spectators' emotions to a huge degree. It was performed by Misa Secondary School choir under the leadership of Zaiga Jēgere. The young people showed in a very convincing manner how living far away from God develops in humans vicious qualities like hate, greed, arrogance and haughtiness that finally destroy the personality.

They also showed the dramatic importance of getting rid of the evil in order to live a happy life.

Poetess Sarma Upesleja cited her own poems where the beauty of God's nature is celebrated. There were also some sketch pieces about the current situation in Latvia and the choices made by those in power. Together with Anita Stikāne, who has composed music to Sarma Upesleja's poems, they sang for Stelpians.

In the end of the celebration, all the guests were invited to the dining hall where brown peas, generously donated by Valle farmer Arvīds Zvirbulis, were prepared. The kitchen ladies of Stelpe School Rita Macpāne, Anda Blaškauska and Dzintra Polika had decorated the tables with candles, small paper Christmas trees and made the overall look of the hall beautiful and festive.

Watch a short video 'Debesis ir tuvu klāt' (When Heaven Is Closer) sung by Misa Secondary School (Misas vidusskola) choir under the leadership of Zaiga Jēgere.

Small Children's Christmas In Stelpe School

Last Friday, the young children of Stelpe celebrated Christmas together with Santa Claus and dwarfs.
Clown Aleksandrs from Riga together with his clever dog Maria showed a lot of funny tricks.


This girl was invited by Aleksandrs the Clown to be his assistant. She did really well balancing the rotating plate on the rod while dressed up as a clown herself.


Aleksandrs the Clown made funny sketch drawings while some children were posing dressed up as animals, dwarfs or dandies.

My daughter Terēze Neliusa impersonated a violin playing grasshopper. In the picture - before the performance, together with her mother Sandra Neliusa, the mastermind of the festival.

The visit of Aleksandrs the Clown and his assistants was possible only due to the support from our friends in Kjeldås School, Norway