Sports Festival in Stelpe

Today Stelpe celebrates the 13th Annual Sports Festival.

The main point with this event that may by all means be considered a tradition of Stelpe community is bringing people together. They meet each other, talk and have some fun. The former students of Stelpe School, who are now scattered to different parts of Latvia, keep this day to come and visit Stelpe, and meet their classmates.

There are both individual and team competitions: Volleyball, darts, pneumatic shooting, lifting and carrying of kettle-bells, throwing of a sponge. Even though the competition runs high at times, socializing and fun remain the core values of the day.

Aiga Saldabola is the co-ordinator of the Festival. She is determined to keep this tradition for the years to come because she sees real value in this day, mainly because it is a good reason for people to meet each other. For the present, the Sports Festival is the largest activity taking place in Stelpe.

On behalf of all the participants, Aiga wants to say many heartfelt thanks to Vecumnieki Community Board and Aldis Dzirkalis, CEO of Stelpe Mineral Water Factory, for the support given to the organizers of the Festival.

The Wiltshire Times About Con Brio Tour To Latvia

The Wiltshire Times has published an article about the Latvia tour of the Bradford choir Con Brio. Since this article came to me as a cut-out, I haven't been able to determine either the author or the publishing date. I would be grateful if somebody knowing would add this information as a comment. Opening the full size image, you should be able to read the article.

Update from Doug's comment: The Wiltshire Times article appeared in the paper on Friday August 14th and was written by Con Brio's Publicity Officer, Lesley Hunt. Thank you, Doug!

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If you pay attention to the photograph, it is our son Daag there. I don't have the slightest idea as to how has he managed to become a "newspaper star" :)

And here you have Gabriel's Trumpet, the favorite song of Roger. It is being sung in Vecumnieki Culture Hall. Roger is singing with them, he is the very last in the middle row, the only one in black shirt.

Con Brio Day in Mersrags

On Sunday, August2, the choir had a concert tour to Mersrags. I did not go there, so I cannot describe. But here you have what Roger and Valerie Hazelden report about the day in Mersrags:
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Con brio in Mersrags, A very early start to the day, but such a warm welcome was waiting there,The choir sang 3 songs in the service, Roger told the people a story about a monkey,after church we all went out side for a wonderful lunch , made by the ladies of the Mersrags church,There was a long line [the longest line in the history of the church] all waiting for the toilet,so we had to have a picture taken, after the lunch, we all went along the beach, a few were brave enough to swim, but others just enjoyed paddling,or walking, It was then on to the culture hall , for the concert, and another wonderful time, one young couple were reduced to tears , they were so moved,A group from Mersrags church also sang some songs, and Ugis gave a small talk,, after the concert , there was a special treat, laid on by one of the families, it was a trip on a boat, about an hour long, just sailing round in the gulf of Riga, what a wonderful time, the sun was shining, and the sea was calm,, we said goodbye to our good friends in Mersrags and went on to Riga , for an evening meal, then home, tired but happy, Hi Egil, here are some thoughts and pictures of the day at Mersrags, hope they will be of some help. Roger and Valerie

Thank You for the Concert, Con Brio!

Egil, you should say many warm thanks to the choir, we enjoyed the concert so very much, said Uldis Krastins, my neighbor - a retired teacher. First we thought, he continued, that all we were going to hear were some faint tones sang by our age oldish people.

But what we really saw was astounding, overwhelming and surprising to the highest degree possible, Uldis continued expressing his surprise.

Until now, we haven't heard a negative word. Did you hear those voices! What a sound! What an ardour! Those are the texts we often hear when we meet people who have watched the concert.

This video will show you Hava Nagila - one of the most expressive compositions performed by Con Brio in Stelpe School.

Thank you, Shirley, and thanks to everyone in the choir from all the grateful Stelpe people!

Con Brio concert in Stelpe

On their first ever international tour, choir Con Brio performed in Stelpe School. "Surprising, incredibly good concert", "They sang with real ardour", "They sang in a very youthful manner" - these are just a few expressions we heard after the concert. Many listeners were moved to tears, especially, when the choir sang the song they had learned in Latvian.

The accompanist Lisa had come from Egypt to help the choir out on the tour. She works there as a piano teacher and will go back in the end of August.

Musicians and music teachers Māra Lagzdiņa and Līga Karpinska, who had already seen one concert in Vecumnieki, came again and brought their children with them. They also performed a composition of C. Saint-Saens. When I said jokingly that their music today was more for the guests, they agreed but said that they were playing for everyone. After the concert, they said that they had enjoyed not only the wonderful music made by the English choir but also the whole welcoming atmosphere in the hall of Stelpe School.

Stelpians had prepared a little concert for the choir. Kristīne Rulle played guitar and sang together with Maija Pelūde and Elīna Dzenīte. Little dancers performed two Latvian traditional dances. Their teacher is Lasma Skābuliņa.

Sabīne Mikalone played two compositions on the Latvian traditional instrument kokle. She was very warmly received and earned lots of applause. This may have been one of her very best performances. She seemed to be living in the music she was playing.

Some members of the choir had taken with them their home craft items from which they made a small exhibition at the entrance to the hall. A bunch of soft knitted teddy-bears was given to the school for distribution to the kids who might like them.

After the concert, the choir had a walk in the vicinity of the school and took lots of pictures.

In the evening, Valerie and Roger Hazelden invited the choir to a garden party. Their neighbors Kristīne and Agnis offered even more space for the large group on their premises.

The choir expressed their gratitude to Valerie and Roger for organizing the visit and program. In return, they invited their friends from the choir to come back some time with their families and friends. They said their heart and house is always open for them.

When we had parted, and the coach with most of the choir driven away, we took Simon, a young man from the choir who was staying in Stelpe, out to a night walk in Stelpe forest. The full moon was shining, and the walk in the silence was really enjoyable. Simon said he felt this to be a special treat for him.

Con Brio start their concert in Stelpe under the guidance of Shirley Smith, the conductor and the heart and soul of the choir

Sabīne Mikalone plays Kokle

Spectators

Māra Lagzdiņa (cello) and Līga Karpinska (piano) Accompanist Lisa, her helper George and the choir

Shirley. Focused as always

The young dancers

All the participants of the concert

We have been to Stelpe School :)

The Garden Party

Geoff and Kristīne playing for the guests of the garden party

Simon (left) in Stelpe forest

Con Brio Voices in Vecumnieki

ConBrio choir from Bradford-on-Avon is now in Latvia, and today we could watch their first concert in Vecumnieki.
http://www.conbriovoices.org.uk/

Their opening song was Gabriel's Trumpet, the favorite song of Roger Hazelden.
Roger and his wife Valerie are now Stelpians. A little more than a year ago, they moved here from England. Roger then had to leave behind his choir where he used to sing with such a pleasure. But the choir came out to see the Hazeldens, and, meanwhile, give delight with their songs to the people here.

Wonderful songs sang with vigour and true dedication spoke to the hearts of Latvian people, and they even joined in singing by the measure of what was possible for them to share in in terms of language and knowledge of the music. But when we heard Ai jel manu vieglu pratu (Only too light-minded have I been...) in perfect Latvian, everyone sang along and clapped hands.

The conductor of the choir is Shirley Smith. Latvian tour has originally been her idea, and she has worked on that with great determination. So we can now see and enjoy the fruit of the hard work she has done together with each and every member of the choir.

Latvian musicians and music teachers Liga Karpinska (piano) and Mara Lagzdina (cello) played four compositions of Latvian romanticism authors which, by their conclusion, tend to give the most accurate idea of a "typical" Latvian classical music.

Bijouterie artist Lidiya Reinberga had brought some samples from her collection. She invited the choir to visit her at home to see the whole collection. This will hardly be possible this time since the program seems to be quite dense. But we hope for a next tour in not too far future, don't we? Then the choir will, no doubt, visit Lidiya and see her works of art.

Decorative gardeners Inese and Juris Strubergs wanted to invite the choir to see their all competition winning best decorative garden of Latvia. This too might be something for the next visit since this visit is already planned full to what is humanly possible to manage. You can follow the link and see their 18 pictures placed on the Internet. Unfortunately you won't find there any texts in English. But go there nevertheless and enjoy the pictures!

The members of the choir were all pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome they felt from the Latvian audience. They said they felt really encouraged for the next concerts.
Tomorrow (August 2) they will go to Mersrags and have a concert there.

But on Monday, August 3 at 4 P.M. we welcome everybody to Stelpe School to meet with those wonderful people and hear them sing. We know already that some of the Vecumnieki spectators will be present. They enjoyed so very much today's atmosphere.

Many thanks also to Valda Kaufmane, the manager of Vecumnieki Culture House, for permission to use the premises.

Below you will see some photographs from the Vecumnieki concert.

Shirley Smith and Con Brio

Shirley Smith

Piano duet Accompanist and her helper

Latvian musicians Liga and Mara playing for the guests from England