Annual Review — 2021-2022

Sen gaidīju, nu atnāca tie bagāti Ziemassvētki;
Ziemassvētki atbraukuši rakstītām kamanām. — T.dz.

Long awaited, now arrived, abundant Christmas;
Christmas arrived in an emblazoned sleigh. — Folk song

December 2022

Dear Members and Supporters of TILTS!

We are pleased to present the TILTS annual report for 2021-2022.

This year, after a two-year hiatus, we resumed presenting live music concerts! Reviews of violinist Una Tone's and pianist Rūdolfs Ozoliņš's “Mūzikas gaismā” (In the Light of Music) mid-America and U.S. East Coast tours were excellent. We plan to extend their concerts to the U.S. West Coast in the spring of 2023.

The TILTS Exceptional Young Artists Fund marked its 25th anniversary with a benefit concert on December 3rd, “Lai skan jauna mūzika!” (Let new music sound!) at the New York Latvian Church in Yonkers, where listeners were delighted by four 2022 grant recipients of the Exceptional Young Artists Fund: composer and guitarist Matīss Čudars, singer Eliza Evalde, guitarist Eduards Lazdiņš and singer Emīlija Pavlovska.

At the 2022 TILTS general meeting on May 17 in Poughkeepsie, all 45 previous board members from the USA, Canada and Latvia were re-elected to the TILTS Board. We plan to hold new concert tours in 2023; we hope to present a larger theatrical or ethno-musicological tour in the fall. With the 55th anniversary of TILTS approaching in 2024, we are hoping to publish a book on the history of TILTS.

We sincerely thank everyone who has supported TILTS' activities and projects! Many thanks also to the American Latvian Association and Latvian societies, congregations, foundations and other organizations in the USA, as well as the The World Federation of Free Latvians (PBLA), for their excellent and productive cooperation!

We warmly wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Vibrant, and Sonorous New Year!

* The picture shows a work of art by Daina Dagnija.

Concerts and concert tours of 2022

In the spring of 2022, Latvian virtuosos violinist Una Tone and pianist Rūdolfs Ozoliņš brought their delightful Latvian music program  “Mūzikas gaismā” (In the Light of Music) to three Latvian centers. The first concert took place on 5/13 in Detroit (organized by LAD and L. Jēkabsone, see photo). Two more followed — 5/14 in Kalamazoo (organized by the Kalamazoo Latvian Society and M. Bundža) and 5/15 in Cleveland (organized by the Cleveland Latvian Concert Association and P. Barbina). The reviews were superb: "Glad that live music is coming back!" "Excellent duet!" "Amazing virtuosity! Standing ovations!" Una Tone and Rūdolfs Ozoliņš also thrilled listeners on the U.S. East Coast with two "In the Light of Music" concerts on 9/24 at St. John's Church, Newtown Square, PA (organized by St. John's Parish and M. Buka), and 9/25 at the Latvian Church, Boston (American Latvian National Union (ALTS)/A. Dreyman and the Latvian Cultural Fund in Boston/L. Aldiņa). We anticipate presenting "In the Light of Music" concerts in Portland and Seattle in the spring of 2023.

On March 12, 2022, we held a virtual "Culture BRIDGE" event — pianist Diāna Zandberga's album  "Latvian Piano Landscapes" presentation concert "And Morning Again", which brought together classical music lovers from the U.S., Canada, Latvia and other countries. The concert took place online from Sigulda's "Baltais Fligelis" (White Grand Piano) concert hall, in cooperation with Latvian Music Information Centre (LMIC), national record label "Skani" and Sigulda Art School. Egils Šēfers conducted the post-concert conversation with D. Zandbergs and composers whose works were recorded on the album — Gundega Šmite, Imants Zemzaris, Andris Vecamnieks, Selga Mence, Mārīte Dombrovska, Ēriks Ešenvalds and Dace Aperāne. This, and other virtual concerts of "Culture BRIDGE" can be viewed on the "Culture BRIDGE" channel: www.youtube.com/@kulturastilts7669/videos.

TILTS Exceptional Young Talent Fund benefit concert "Let new music sound!" took place on December 3 at the New York Latvian Church in Yonkers. This year's grant recipients — singers Emīlija Pavlovska, Elīza Evalde, guitarists Matīss Čudars and Eduards Lazdiņš delighted listeners with an impressive program of contemporary music. Singer Arta Jēkabsone and Dace Aperāne celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Exceptional Young Artists' Fund headed by Laila Robiņa. Earlier in the day, the musicians entertained the New York Latvian school family with a shorter concert. Donations from the concerts will help the Fund to continue to support the studies of young Latvian musicians in higher education institutions in the USA. David A. Grendze recorded a professional soundtrack of the concert.

TILTS also collaborated with Latvian Organizations of Washington (LOV) and A. Juberte, supporting the 19.11.22 " Rose-Gibbs" duo (pianist Benita Rose and saxophonist Tony Gibbs) concert at the National Candlestick Event in Rockville, MD. There was a beautiful program of Latvian and American music.

Exceptional Young Talent Fund

The Exceptional Young Talent Fund, led by Laila Robiņa, with the assistance of Anna Ķepe and Una Tone, had an income of $14,200 in 2021. In 2021, grants were awarded to:

• $8,000.00 — composer and guitarist Matīss Čudars
• $6,000.00 — actor and vocalist Gustavs Melnbārdis
• $2,200.00 — guitarist Eduards Lazdiņš
• $1,000.00 — singer Emīlija Pavlovska

The balance of the Exceptional Young Talent Fund at the end of 2021 was $255.00.

Donations to the "Exceptional Young Talent Fund" can be sent to  TILTS Treasurer Irina Kats, noting "Talent Fund" in the memo field. Make your check out to "Latvian Cultural Association TILTS".

Music Camp Fund

The Music Camp Fund supports the International Master Courses for Young Latvian Musicians, which have been held in Latvia since 1994.  XV International Master Courses for Young Latvian Musicians will take place in 2023 from 12 to 21 July 2023 at Sigulda Art School "Baltais Flīģelis". Young musicians from (16 years old) are invited to participate! For more information: www.baltaisfligelis.lv/muzika/meistarkursi.

The Music Camp Fund balance at he end of 2021 was $8,206; there was no income this year. The Music Camp Fund is run by Dace Aperāne with the participation of Anda Moss Cook.

Donations to the "Music Camp Fund" can be sent to TILTS Treasurer Irina Kats, noting "Music Camp Fund" in the memo field of your check.

Awards

In 2021,  TILTS awarded:

• $500.00 — for the book "Jānis Čakste — Latvian 1st President, 100 Years" (Jumava)
• $1,000.00 — for pianist Diāna Zandberga's CD album "Landscapes of Latvian Piano Music"
• $175.00 for brick on Garezer's property;  $1,000.00 — XV Latvian Song Festival in USA Minnesota
• $1,000.00 — ALA for 70th Anniversary
• $1,000.00 — Riga Dom Girls' Choir TIARA for 25th anniversary concerts in Latvia in 2022
• $500.00 — for "Kokles Sounded" virtual gatherings
• Total awards in 2021: $5,175.00

In 2022, several projects initiated in 2020 and 2021 and supported by TILTS came to fruition: "The Kokle in Exile" activities and Kokle exhibition at the XV Song Festival in the USA, Rīga Dom girls' choir TIARA 25th anniversary concert, the book "Latvian Canadian Art, Music and Letters", premiere of Jānis Kalniņš's opera "Hamlets" at the Latvian National Opera & Ballet in Riga, the book "Evalds Dajevskis" (Jumava) by Dzintra Andrušaite, the CD album "Latvian Piano Music Landscapes" (www.skani.lv) by Diāna Zandberga,. Additionally, $500.00 was awarded to the "Community Theater and Oral Stories Forum/Project" hosted by Brigita Stroda in May this year in Melbourne, Australia.

Other events and notices

• Dace Aperāne and Marcis Voldiņš were delegates to the 2022 ALA's 71st anniversary congress in Boston. During the congress, D. Aperāne delivered a presentation on TILTS' 2022 activities.
• Through the end of 2022, 65 members had joined the ALA through TILTS; when joining the ALA, you are welcome to do so through the  TILTS.
• Dace Aperāne, Ārija Kats and Irīna Kats represented  TILTS on the New York Council of Latvian Organizations in 2021 and 2022.
• Sandra Zeidenberga-Jansone has begun organizing TILTS' archives for transfer to the Latvian State Archives. In the autumn of this year, Sandra submitted the poster "An Afternoon in Latvia" to Inese Kalniņa, Head of the Personal Collections and Foreign Documents Department of the LNA Latvian State Archives. The 50th anniversary Independence Day celebration held at Vassar College November 10, 1968, depicted in the poster, is the event which inspired the 1969 founding of the "Latvian Society of Poughkeepsie," eventually to become TILTS.
• This year, several of Sandra Zeidenberg-Jansone's archival TILTS materials (pictures and posters) were included in the exhibition of the Museum of the Occupation: "USA — A safe haven during the occupation of the homeland, 1940–1991".

2022 Board meetings and general meeting

(For the 2021 board meeting and general meeting, please see! 2020-21 Annual review.)

Earlier this year, the annual board meeting was convened on April 2 on ZOOM. The general meeting of members was held in person on May 17, in Poughkeepsie, New York. Six members of the Board — Dace Aperāne, Gundars Aperāns, Anita Bataraga, Ārija Kats, Irīna Kats and Andris Padegs — elected the new Board thanks to proxies sent by the members. TILTS elected 45 persons to the board: 38 in the USA, 6 in Latvia and 1 in Canada. On May 18, there was a meeting on the formation of the new board via ZOOM. All positions held as of 2021 remain valid in 2022, with one exception — Irīna Kats has agreed to fill the position of TILTS chief treasurer, which Juris Baidiņš held for more than 30 years, for one year. Therefore, all donations are welcome to be sent to Irina Kats' address: 77 Carpenter Ave. #2H, Mount Kisco, NY 10549

Thank you!

• To Juris Baidiņš, for his more than three decades of work in fulfilling the duties of TILTS treasurer!
• To our new chief treasurer Irīna Kats, Juris Baidiņš and  board member Jānis Melgalvis for advice and assistance in updating all of TILTS' necessary financial institution documents.
• To Pēters Vecrumba, TILTS media specialist, for the TILTS website  www.tilts.org graphic design, translating our annual reviews into English and updating website contents!
• To TILTS to senior vice president, Ārija Kats for organizing TILTS' register of addresses and printing the mailing labels, and to Anita Bataraga for address changes notifications!
• To the TILTS Audit Committeee, which helped treasurer Juris Baidiņš review 2021 TILTS finances: Pēteris Ansis, Knuts Ozols (Jānis Bebris's deputy) un Kaspars Krēsliņš!!
• To TILTS board member Aina Laķe for her help in hosting the Exceptional Young Talent Fund concert on December 3rd!

Membership

Thank you very much for your support so far for  TILTS!  TILTS' performance largely depends on your donations. Because of the rising costs of transportation and other expenses, tours can no longer finance themselves and TILTS has usually had to make up the difference.  In 2021, TILTS received $17,648.00 in membership fees and donations from 220 members. The average donation was $80.21 per member (this excludes donations directed to specific funds). At the end of 2021, TILTS' treasury totaled $64,825.00.

We invite you to become a TILTS member with a donation starting at $15!

Please make checks out to Latvian Cultural Association TILTS, Inc.  and send them  to the  TILTS Treasurer: Irīna Kats, 77 Carpenter Ave. #2H, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. You can also make donations through ZELLE by entering: latviantilts@gmail.com. Thank you again for your support!

History of TILTS

TILTS was founded in 1969 as the Latvian Society of Poughkeepsie. In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the association was active mainly in the vicinity of Poughkeepsie and New York City: it organized events and actively participated in defending the interests of Latvia (November 18th Independence Day celebrations, demonstrations in Poughkeepsie and New York, preparation and reading of radio programs about Latvia, exhibitions about Latvia). During the national awakening, TILTS (mainly on the personal initiative of TILTS members) was one of the first émigré exile organizations that initiatated contacts with Latvia (organization of an Ave Sol concert, reception of Imants Ziedonis, participation in the Gananoque, Canada conference). During its lifetime, TILTS has organized more than 300 cultural events or tours, including three Rīga Dom Boys' Choir tours and Australian Sun Belt events. Currently, TILTS is the primary organization in the USA which organizes American tours of Latvian and other artists, spanning classical music, ethnographic music and dance, theater and other performances.

TILTS finances

American charities send out letters asking for donations for their charitable purposes. An organization is considered efficient if more than 80–90% of the money is spent on the organization's charitable purposes and 10–20% on administration and gathering donations.  TILTS' financial statement here provides insight into the efficiency of TILTS' operations: TILTS took in $37,278 in 2021 and spent $4,111 on administration and fundraising, which is 11.04%.  TILTS board members do not receive any remuneration for their work for TILTS.

 TILTS expresses its special gratitude: to the following donors who have each contributed between $500.00 — $8,000.00 in 2021 to the  TILTS's general treasury or special project funds:

Anonymous, Jānis and Daina Lucs, Manchester Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church, New Brunswick and Leikwood Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church, Laila Robiņa, Gundars and Dace Aperāns, Donation in memory of Andris and Maya Neumann.

TILTS Board 2022

Martiņš Andersons, Dace Aperāne, Gundars Aperāns, Juris Baidiņš, Anita Bataraga, Pauls Berkolds, Valdis Bērziņš, Jānis Cigusis, Anda Cook, Pēteris Dajevskis, Ints Dzelzgalvis, Ingrīda Erdmane, Iveta Grava, Sandra Zeidenberga Jansone, Amanda Rider, Benita Jaundāldere, Līga Jēkabsone, Tija Kārklis, Ārija Kats, Irīna Kats, Anna Kepe, Dace Ķezbere, Brigita Klauss, Laris Krēsliņš, Matīss Insect, Aina Laķis, Anita Liepiņa, Māra Linde,  Laila Medne, Maija Medne, Jānis Melgalvis, Ilmārs Mežs, Andris Padegs, Māra Pelēce, Ilze Pētersone, Zinta Pone, Ināra Reine, Laila Robiņa, Gunta Semba, Ruta Strobele, Jānis Student, Pēters Vecrumba, Normunds Vīksne and Marcis Voldiņš.