Minjona

Minjona is a women's choir based at the University of Latvia. The choir was founded in 1975 by artistic director Viesturs Gailis. In 1977, it was given the name "Minjona." In 2015, Minjona was named the 9th top women's choir in the world.
History.
Foundation.
The first appearance of the choir occurred in 1974, when female students of the Pēteris Stučka Latvian State University were called to audition for a female choir. Viesturs Gailis, the founder of the new collective, was the first year student of Latvian State Conservatory and a son of Daumants Gallis who, at the time, was artistic director and chief conductor of the mixed choir "Juventus".
The two driving forces behind the formation of the women's choir were:
The first audition took place on 24 December 1974, followed by the first rehearsal on 11 February 1975. Since then, the date of the first rehearsal is commemorated as the choir's anniversary.
The first public performance took place on 1 June 1975 in the Aula Magna of the University of Latvia during Childhood festivity. In May 1976, Minjona presented their first full concert. In Autumn 1975, the choir was called to Latvian Television to record their first sound and video record: the Latvian folk songs "Tumša nakte, zaļa zāle" and "Bēdu, manu lielu bēdu".
Name.
On April 5, 1977 the choir was given a name – "Minjona", which was inspired by the character "Mignon" in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s work "Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship" ["Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre"]. The choice of name was inspired by Gailis' father, known as an interpreter of the music of Emīls Dārziņš. Dārziņš had composed a piece titled "Minjona" for mixed choir; Gailis adapted this music for women's choir to commemorate the naming of the choir. This song is based on one of Goethe's Songs of Mignon, the poem "Kennst du das Land, wo die Zitronen blühn?" This song became for many years an anthem of the choir.