THE 21st INTERNATIONAL SACRED MUSIC FESTIVAL / WORLD PREMIERES BY LATVIAN COMPOSERS

State Choir “”LATVIJA””

Conductor Māris Sirmais (Latvia)

PROGRAMME:

World premiers by Jānis Ķirsis, Platons Buravickis, Laura Jēkabsone and Vestards Šimkus

A traditional audience favourite of the festival is the premiere concert of new works by Latvian composers. On the 4th of September at Old St. Gertrude’s Church, Riga, the State Choir Latvija will perform Ādams un Ieva, a new work of composer and leader of vocal group Framest Jānis Ķirsis; Dziesmas par zemi, a new work from master of musical algorithm Platons Buravickis; a new composition by Latvian Voices singer, composer and arranger Laura Jēkabsone dedicated to the story of Lilith, Adam’s first wife in ancient Jewish mythology; and a new work from pianist and composer Vestards Šimkus, a short mass for choir and instrumental trio (piano, cello, violin).

The roots of the Sacred Music Festival can be found in 1998, when the State Choir Latvija first organised a festival with the goal of enriching the cultural life of Riga and renewing the spiritual position of society. The Sacred Music Festival introduced genre diversity to the festival movement in Latvia, drawing attention mainly to the performance of vocal-symphonic works and a cappella pieces.

Tickets to the festival’s concerts are available at Biļešu paradīze box offices throughout Latvia, as well as online: www.bilesuparadize.lv

More about the festival: https://koris.lv/festivals/