Strategic Staffing Solutions is committed to furthering culture, helping children succeed and giving back to the communities in which we do business. So when the opportunity came up to help the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit’s internationally acclaimed Mosaic Singers compete in the World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia, it was a no-brainer. It would do all three.
S3 has an office in Riga, Latvia, so not only is this sponsorship helping children, it is also furthering culture and giving back to the community where it does business.
Mosaic Singers perform at S3’s 2014 All Staff meeting.
S3 is providing the resources for the group to compete with 500 or so choirs from 60 countries in what has become known as the “Olympics for Choirs.” In its eighth year, the World Choir Games is the world’s largest choir competition and will be held July 9-19. About 20,000 singers from all over the world are expected to participate in the Games, which follow the Olympic ideals of excellence, friendship and respect. Mosaic will take 26 young artists and four chaperones on the trip.
“We want the world to know what tremendous talent we have in Detroit,” said Cindy Pasky, president and CEO of Strategic Staffing Solutions. “The Mosaic Singers are a wonderful example of that talent. They will compete with some of the best choirs in the world and I know they will do so with the same passion for success we have in Detroit and at S3.”
The World Choir Games will be one of the highlights of the European Capital of Culture 2014 in Riga. Each year the European Commission choses two cities as European Capitals of Culture. Riga and Umeå, Sweden, share the title this year.
“Words cannot begin to express our gratitude and appreciation to Strategic Staffing Solutions for making this trip of a lifetime and opportunity possible for our Mosaic Singers,” said Rick Sperling, CEO and founder of Mosaic Youth Theatre. “We look forward to competing in Latvia and showcasing Detroit’s amazing talent through these young voices on a global stage.”
While in Latvia, the choir will also perform in public friendship concerts and will make a side trip to Vilnius, Lithuania, for additional performances. S3 also has an office in Vilnius. American embassies in both countries are working with the S3 team to find the best venues to showcase the Mosaic choir. The dates are yet to be determined.
In Latvia the World Choir Games will feature a major concert showcasing the thousands of singers at “Mežaparks,” a neighborhood in North Central Riga. The park, built in the early 20th century, was one of the world’s first garden cities. It hosts the Latvian Song and Dance Festival in late July every four years.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the Mosaic Singers of the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit,” said Andris Razans, ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to the USA and Mexico. “I am particularly very happy that you are coming from Michigan – a state with which Latvia has a long-lasting and deep cooperation. I wish you all success in the World Choir Games.”
The Mosaic Singers have performed in more than 25 states, at The White House and The Kennedy Center. Internationally, they have represented the United States at the World Festival of Children’s Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, performed at The Millennium Dome in London England, and participated in cultural exchanges with Dakar, Senegal and Singapore.
In 2013, S3 donated more than $1 million and thousands of volunteer hours to charitable efforts around the world and has donated more than $7 million since 2005.
