Daugavpils X International Sacred Music Festival “Silver Bells” Main Prize went to mixed choir “Swedbank” (Latvia) Culture news

Four days Daugavpils lived in the rhythms and sounds of the X International Sacred Music Festival “Silver Bells”.

Concerts, rehearsals, meetings, excursion to the city and other similar activities brought together more than 2500 participants of the Festival from four countries. On Saturday the main event was contest of choirs, vocal ensembles and groups, which continued also on Sunday together with participation of children choirs. 49 groups stand in a front of demanding international jury. Composition of jury: Vitaly Rauzo (Belarus), Peter Savinkov (Russia), Gintautas Venislovas (Lithuania), Julia Blinova (Russia) and Edgars Znutiņš (Latvia). Yesterday, in the Closing event of the Festival, the results were announced and winners awarded.

And they are:

1. Group of children choirs:

Children choir “Lielvārde” (Latvia), conductor Baiba Klepere

1. Group of youth choirs:

Youth choir “Spīgo” (Latvia), conductor Līga Celma-Kursiete

1. Group of male and female choirs:

Swedbank Female choir (Latvia), conductor Jurģis Cābulis

1. Group of mixed choirs:

Mixed choir “Kamertonas”Lithuania), conductor Kestutis Jakeliūnas

1. Group of vocal ensembles:

Vocal ensemble „Mik-8” (Latvia) , conductor Baiba Klepere

1. Category of vocal groups:

Early music vocal ensemble “Modus Vivendi” (Latvia), conductor Kaspars Ādamsons

Winners of Grand Prix Competition:

1^st Place

Mixed choir „Austrums” (Latvia), conductor Ārijs Šķepasts

2^nd Place

Latvian Cultural Centre Mixed choir “Daugava” (Latvia), conductor Jevgeņijs Ustinskovs

3^rd Place

Mixed Choir „Kamertonas” (Lithuania), conductor Kestutis Jakeliūnas

Main Prize of the Festival went to mixed choir “Swedbank” (Latvia), conductor Artūrs Ancāns

Participants also were awarded with special prizes:

The prize fromDaugavpilsMusicCollege–for the best performance of an original song written by a Latvian composer – Youth choir “Spīgo” (Latvia) conductor Līga Celma-Kursiete;

The prize from the Faculty of Music and Arts of Daugavpils University – for the most interesting performance – Youth choir “Spīgo” (Latvia) conductor Līga Celma-Kursiete;

The prize from the Latvian Culture Centre – for the best performance of a Latvian folksong arrangement – Youth choir “Skan” (Latvia), conductor Irēna Zelča;

The prize from the Russian Culture Centre – for the best performance of a sacred music composition – Children choir “Perezvoni” (Russia), conductor Larisa Jaruckaja;

The prize from the Polish Culture Centre – for the most expressive performance – Vocal ensemble “Tonika” (Belarus), conductor Jelena Latsapneva;

The prize from the Belarusian Culture Centre – for the best performance of a contemporary composer’s work – Youth choir “Lira” (Belarus), conductor Jelena Latsapneva;

The prize from the Daugavpils Music teachers’ association – for high teaching skills – Daugavpils3^rd secondary school choir (Latvia), conductor Maruta Veličko;

The prize from the Latvian Association of Choir Conductors – to the most expressive conductor – Larisa Jarucka (Russia)

See you at the Daugavpils XI International Sacred Music Festival “Silver Bells” in 2015!