University of Latvia mixed choir "Aura" travels to Toronto

Overall, they were on the road for almost three weeks, having rehearsals, giving concerts, taking part in workshops, and trying to squeeze in sight-seeing and different touristic attractions. Their first appearance symbolically took place on the Midsummer's Eve – a very important date for all, local and foreign, Latvians. They spent a few days in the Latvian peaceful camp in Canada called Tērvete, where they met not only Canadian Latvians, but also local Canadians who had never heard of such small country before. At the end of their stay in Tērvete, they performed in the local AVOCA Community Centre, inviting everyone to travel to Toronto for the upcoming Song festival.

The choir "Aura" was thrilled to represent Latvian culture, choral music, and language at the festival and during additional performances en route. Under the direction of conductor Edgars Vītols, this trip offered invaluable experiences not only to the singers, but also to listeners and fellow artists who were eager to learn about Latvia's rich choral tradition and its modern interpretations.

This journey is a testament to the power of cultural cooperation between artistic groups. The mixed choir "Aura" not only took part in the Dance and Song Celebration outside their home country and performed a couple of concerts beforehand, tearing up the audience from joy, but also carried out their own personal dreams to travel to Canada and meet up with fellow Canadian choir singers. We invite others to join the "Universities for Culture" platform, be inspired by such stories, and explore limitless cultural opportunities.

The journey was made possible with the support of the Culture Centre of the University of Latvia, the UL Foundation, and other generous supporters. Their assistance enabled the choir to travel and perform alongside their Canadian colleagues, turning their dreams into reality.

To learn more about the choir's "Aura" journey, go to their Facebook page.

Learn more about the "Universities for Culture" in "About this platform" section of this website.

Learn more about all the artistic groups to have cultural cooperations with in "Artistic Groups" section of this website.

Photos by Jānis Romanovskis / gribuvasaru.lv / and Andra Annemarija Krūmiņa.