A pearl grows… slowly and patiently, grain of sand by grain of sand, until it becomes a precious gem.

Thirty years of marriage are traditionally celebrated as a pearl anniversary. In the life of a choir, too, 30 years is a significant milestone, filled with songs, concerts, Song Festivals, travels, laughter, emotions and adventures. It is a story created collectively by Medera’s singers – a sound that, like a pearl, has grown, evolved and been refined over the years, acquiring its own distinctive hue and lustre.

The life of a choir is like a string of pearls, with every song, every concert and every singer representing one of its pearls. Each is different, with its own story, sound and place, yet only together do they form a beautiful and harmonious whole. But for pearls to become a necklace, they need a strong thread and a clasp to hold them together… For all these years, that unifying thread has been Gunta Vāvere, the choir’s founder, artistic director and conductor – the force that brings voices together in a single breath and inspires singers to feel and listen to one another.

Over the past 30 years, Medera has evolved and grown as its membership has changed, yet its sense of togetherness and love of singing have remained constant. Ultimately, this is a story about people who, year after year, add new voices, experiences and stories to the string of pearls.

During the anniversary concert Like Pearls on a String, the choir will revisit its 30-year journey through songs that have become significant milestones in the ensemble’s history. Joining the choir on stage will be conductor Agnis Augustinovičs and a wonderful group of musicians: distinguished soprano Ilze Grēvele-Skaraine and pianist Jolanta Barinska, together with instrumentalists Artūrs Krišjānis Goba (keyboards), Juris Laizāns (percussion) and Jānis Griķis (guitar).

Medera will continue to shine for as long as its pearls are strung together by a strong thread, and everyone is warmly invited to celebrate the choir’s 30th anniversary at Like Pearls on a String.

Admission is free.