State Academic Choir “Latvia” (State Choir “Latvia”) |

State Choir «Latvia»

One of the most recognized choirs in the world, the Latvian State Academic Choir will celebrate its 2017th anniversary in 75.

The choir was founded in 1942 by conductor Janis Ozoliņš and was one of the best musical groups in the former Soviet Union. Since 1997, the artistic director and chief conductor of the Choir has been Maris Sirmais.

The Latvian Choir fruitfully cooperates with the world’s leading symphony and chamber orchestras: the Royal Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), the Bavarian Radio, the London Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, the Gustav Mahler Chamber Orchestra, many other orchestras in Germany, Finland, Singapore, Israel, the USA, Latvia, Estonia, Russia. His performances were led by such famous conductors as Maris Jansons, Andris Nelsons, Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Vladimir Ashkenazi, David Tsinman, Valery Gergiev, Zubin Mehta, Vladimir Fedoseev, Simona Young and others.

The team gives many concerts in their homeland, where they also hold the annual International Sacred Music Festival. For its activities in promoting the Latvian musical culture, the Latvija Choir was awarded seven times the Highest Musical Award of Latvia, the Latvian Government Prize (2003), the annual award of the Ministry of Culture of Latvia (2007) and the National Recording Prize (2013).

Choir’s repertoire is striking in its diversity. He performs works of cantata-oratorio genres, operas and chamber vocal works dating from the early Renaissance to the present day.

In 2007, at the Bremen Music Festival, together with the Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Tõnu Kaljuste, Lera Auerbach’s “Russian Requiem” was performed for the first time. Within the framework of the X International Festival of Sacred Music, the mass of Leonard Bernstein was presented to the Riga public. In 2008, there were several premieres of works by contemporary composers – Arvo Pärt, Richard Dubra and Georgy Pelecis. In 2009, at the festivals in Lucerne and Rheingau, the ensemble performed R. Shchedrin’s composition “The Sealed Angel”, after which the composer called the Choir one of the best in the world. In 2010, the band made a successful debut at New York’s Lincoln Center, where they sang the world premiere of K. Sveinsson’s composition Credo in collaboration with the famous Icelandic band Sigur Ros. In the same year, at the festivals in Montreux and Lucerne, the Choir performed “Songs of Gurre” by A. Schoenberg under the baton of David Zinman. In 2011 he performed Mahler’s Eighth Symphony conducted by Mariss Jansons with the orchestras of the Bavarian Radio and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw.

In 2012, the band again performed at the festival in Lucerne, presenting the works by S. Gubaidulina “Passion according to John” and “Easter according to St. John”. In November 2013, the choir participated in a performance of Mahler’s Second Symphony with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Mariss Jansons in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In July 2014, the same work was performed with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta at the Megaron Concert Hall in Athens.

The choir took part in the recording of the soundtrack for the famous film “Perfumer”. In 2006, the soundtrack was released on CD (EMI Classics), featuring the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Simon Rattle. Other albums of the Latvian Choir have been released by Warner Brothers, Harmonia Mundi, Ondine, Hyperion Records and other record labels.

Source: Moscow Philharmonic website