As the composer Egils Straume is Lativian, the concert was in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Lativia Independence. The piece “In Memoriam of Andris Slapins” was a tribute to renowned Lativian filmmaker Andris Slappins. Slapins and Straume had collaborated on numerous occasions as Straume would compose the music for quite a few of Slapins films. The two even considered each other very good friends. The final project the two worked on together before Andris Slapins tragic death was “The Baltic Saga” in 1991. Andris Slapins, was killed by Soviet "Black Beret" troops on January 20th 1991 in Riga, Lativia. Slapins, who was associated with the Riga Video Center, at the time was filming the attack by Soviet troops on the independence-seeking Latvian Interior Ministry when he and another who was also filming the attack were killed. Straume composed “In Memoriam” to honor his close friend and colleague, Andris Slapins and stated in the program the following ”..Andris Slapins whose ultimate sacrifice represents the determination and power of the solidarity of the Lativian people to restore their