© Girls' Choir Spigo

Second for the jury, but first for the audience

The Spīgo choir made the running to represent Latvia at Eurovision Choir of the Year

European Choir Games 2017

It was a neck-to-neck race: The Latvian choir Spīgo became winner of “Latvija Dzied!” (Latvia Sings!) and will thus represent Latvia at the Eurovision Choir of the Year TV show and compete against eight other European top choirs. Although placed second by the jury the group won the hearts of the audience and therefore the first place in this competition.

The choir, which was founded in 1977 by the music teachers Agris and Liena Celms, is formed of app. 40 - 50 girls aged 15-25 from the Jelgava 4 High School. In 2000, Līga Celma-Kursiete, conductor and composer, began to work as a second conductor with the choir, thus complementing the choir’s repertoire with new and original compositions.

Five editions in a row the choir won the Grand Prix of the Latvian School Youth Song Festival. The choir also achieved the first place in the 2008 XXIV and 2013 XXV National Song Festival in the women's choir category and participated in various international choir competitions in Torrevieja, Tampere, Vienna, Venice, Cracow, Olomouc, and in the World Choir Games 2014 in Riga and became second in the Folklore category. The current conductors of the choir are Arta Jurgenovska and Krista Lūsiņa.

Eurovision Choir of the Year is a new format in the Eurovision event family led by the Eurovision Song Contest. Its first edition will be held in Riga on July 22 and be broadcasted in nine European countries. More information at www.eurovisionchoir.tv.

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