Standing ovation for the Maska Choir in Seoul

On 19 October, the Maska choir’s voices filled the Wonnam Buddhism Temple in the historic centre of Seoul, captivating every listener with a diverse and engaging program under the direction of conductor and artistic director Jānis Ozols. The concert was organised in collaboration between the Embassy of Latvia and the independent bookstore Kuldiga in Seoul.

Visitors were able to experience sacral music, Latvian folk songs, and even L-pop—Latvian popular music. At the end of the concert, the choir amazed the audience by performing a popular Latvian song in Korea, composed by Raimonds Pauls, titled “Dāvāja Māriņa” in both Korean and Latvian languages, as a special greeting between the two nations.

The event also featured a distinguished guest, Ms. Kim Kalam, a producer from the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), who shared valuable insights into the Latvian singing traditions as a vital component of Latvian national identity. Ms. Kim has been actively involved in promoting Latvia in Korea for years.

The Latvian Embassy extends its heartfelt thanks to all who supported and contributed to the organisation of the event. Additionally, the Embassy staff would like to convey special greetings to the choir “Maska” for their outstanding performance. The choir is currently in Korea participating in the prestigious “Busan Choral Festival & Competition.”