"Jolanta" - mixed choir

Since 1884, a mixed choir for the visually impaired and blind has been performing in what is now Latvia. The choir was active during the Russian Empire, the First Republic of Latvia and the Soviet occupation, and continues to be active in the restored Latvian state. The Jolanta Mixed Choir is the oldest choir in the club. For many years its artistic director was Arnolds Skride, who made a great contribution to the development of the group.

The choir got its name in 1968, initiated by Pēteris Jaunzems, in honour of Tchaikovsky’s opera “Iolanta”, which featured a blind princess. 1969. In 2007, the choir was awarded the title of People’s Choir. The number of members reached 70. The choir visited Georgia, Armenia, the Central Asian republics, several large cities in the European part of Russia, Siberia, the Far East and elsewhere, not to mention the neighbouring republics of Lithuania and Estonia, which were visited fairly regularly. There have been other directors before and after Skride, but now the choir is directed by Jānis Āboliņš, the choirmaster Baiba Ozoliņa, the concertmaster Ina Fedorovska.

The repertoire includes folk songs, works by Latvian composers and classics. Recently, the choir has been regularly participating in song festivals, and this year received a very high rating in the choir showcase. The choir gives concerts in Riga and other places in Latvia. The choir has been expanded with young people, now it has 29 members of all ages. New members in all voice groups are welcome, both visually impaired and sighted.

Choir practice times:
Mondays: 18:00
Fridays: 18:00