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

Stelpes Pagasts - The Most Active Community In District Vecumnieki

On September 25, the owners of the most well cared for farms were honored in the renovated clubhouse of Bārbele (Bārbeles Tautas nams). Many individuals having added to the overall beauty of District Vecumnieki by keeping their farms tidy and beautiful were honored and awarded on this event. Believe me or not, Stelpe won the most prestigious nomination - the Most Active Community.Picture: The respected flower selectionists of Stelpe Visvaldis Viņķelis (gladioli) and his wife Ilga Viņķele (irises) being awarded prizes. The girls' vocal group singing for them.

Picture: The head of Stelpe Pagasts Elmārs Jukonis expressing his gratitude for the recognition of Stelpe as the most active community of District Vecumnieki.

Picture: A humorous sketch by "two chickens" from Kurmene.

Picture: Our most respected biological farmer Andris Kalniņš receiving the well deserved award not only for the well looking vicinity of his farm but also for his active participation in legislation initiatives against genetically modified agriculture and for his encyclopedic knowledge about farming, which he readily shares with everyone.

Picture: A funny sketch set up by Stelpe Theater. (From left) Gypsy man - Jānis Klāviņš, baron - Valdis Rusiņš, baroness - Agita Šķiliņa.

Picture: My wife Sandra (with microphone) leading the program.

Picture: Stelpe dancers are welcome to the neighboring communities. Now there is seldom an activity without them being invited. The vigorous and spicy performance sets them apart from other groups.

A few pictures about Barbele:

Center of Barbele. The Barbele Lutheran Church.

Memory stone for those exiled to Siberia. From this spot next to the club house, the road of suffering began for many people of Bārbele who where exiled to Siberia by the communist regime in 1941 and 1949.

The renovated club house (Bārbeles tautas nams)

Notice board in the Barbele clubhouse.


Sign post in the center of Barbele

Earlier - Latvia Made Of Apples

In the middle of September, days of Poetry are marked in Latvia. As a special decoration, there was a map of Latvia laid out of apples in which this fall was especially rich.

Picture: Poetess Maija Laukmane, our special Poetry Days guest, together with some of the students having worked on the "apple map".

Earlier - The First School Day 2011

Picture: Head teacher Dagmāra Venclova holding speech on September 1, the first school day in Latvia. Seated in front - this year's 1st graders and those who begin school in the 5 year olds' group together with their teachers. 1st grade teacher is Lāsma Skābuliņa (leftmost), and Iveta Grantiņa will be teaching 5 and 6 year olds.

In her speech, the head teacher Dagmāra Venclova expressed hope that the school will survive despite the threat still looming over the small countryside schools.

Despite the statistics that the quality of education obtained in the schools like ours is much superior to that from the large city schools, the number of children keeps reducing every year or even half year. I remember in 1989 when Sandra and me came to live and work to Stelpe, there were 170 schoolchildren here. By now that number has dropped to 76.

Picture: Sandra Neliusa (2nd from right, white jacket) with her class 8.

Picture: Our sons Dāgs Neliuss and Kārlis Elmers Apsītis. Dag is starting class 1, Elmer - 3.

St. Michael's Day In Stelpe School

St. Michael's Day in Stelpe with jolly games, riddles, exhibition-market of vegetables and fruit.

Sports Festival Stelpe - 2011

This celebrated bear was in Stelpe on the Sports Festival day. He mainly organized games and activities for the smaller children. His presence colored the day all over the site.Through some magic, some of the children turned into animals. Dāgs Neliuss enjoys his new appearance.
Carrot throwing. Krista Maksimoviča in action.
Dry fishing
Car race
The Flower Girl and Rabbits playing with the children


Blindfold caterpillar picking
The Flower Girl
Sandra Neliusa (left), the coordinator of the festival, talking to one of the most active stelpians Kristīne Rulle
Dancing with Winnie-The-Pooh, Flower Girl (behind scene), and the Rabbits
Maze orienteering. Karīna Balode picking a task.
The Train game with the Flower Girl and rabbit assistants.
Pole walk.
Tigers - Kārlis Elmers Apsītis (left) and Dāgs Neliuss.
Inflatable castle next to Stelpe School.
Awarding ceremony. Sandra Neliusa and Zane Pelūde decorate a prize winner team with medals.
Stelpe farmer Jānis Klāviņš gave a ride in his horse cart to everyone but especially to the little ones.
Portrait - The Flower Girl. She organized continuous activities for the youngest participants of the festival for more than three hours without a break!!!