Dobele 2008

The VI International Festival-Competition of Chamber Ensembles for Young Performers “We Play Music With Friends” is over. This time we met again in Dobele (30.V-1.VI 2008). We are grateful to the participants who delighted us with their artistic performance at this musical spring celebration.

The are thankful for financial support to the Culture Capital Foundation, as well as the Municipality of Riga District and the Municipality of Dobele.

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This year 44 chamber ensembles (110 jung musicians) and 55 teachers had applied for the enterprise from Pärnu,Vilnius, StPetersburg, Tartu, Baldone, Dobele, Liepaja, Ādaži, Tukums, Vecumnieki, Glūda and five music schools of Riga.

On 31th of Mai the competitors were sincerely welcomed by the Honorary Patron of the Festival-Competition Ingūna Rībena.   After the tough hours of competition the children went to discover the most beautiful places of Dobele (the famous wonderful Garden of Lilac!). At the end of the first day there was a silent moment at the lutheran church of Dobele which was followed by a little concert of teachers chamber music ensembles. But eveningtime –Party in the backyard of the music school, the moments of friendship next to the fire place and dinner.

Next morning the teachers met the judges of the competition. It was very valuable to hear the analysis, formal advices and remarks, as well as grateful words about the children’s musical performances. The professor (the Head of Jury) Gunta Sproģe and her colleagues expressed their gratitude for the competition’s professional development and the enthusiasm of its organizers and tell about ECMTA.

On 1st of June the concert of the Festival took place in Dobele Culture House. This time children played the barocal, the classical and contemporary music.

The last concert took place at Palace ruin of Dobele (Chamber orchestra Armonico; the conductor Normunds Dregis). At the end of this concert the jury congratulated the winners of the competition.

We are really thankful to Māra Rozentāle, the director of Music School of Dobele for her great energy and generous help.

Next year on 9th - 11th of January we have intended to organize three-day masterclasses for children and their teachers and to invite pedagogues of chamber ensembles from Latvian Academy of Music and their foreign colleagues to take part in the workshop.

Looking forward for meeting you in Dobele, the capital city of lilac, on 5th -7th of June, 2009!