🌟 🇺🇦Oksana Nikitiuk: A Ukrainian Voice in Latvia 🎵 Ukrainian singer, musicologist, and choir conductor Oksana Nikitiuk shares her musical journey between Ukrainian traditions and Latvian experience. Having arrived in Latvia due to the war, she continues her passion for choral singing. In this interview, Oksana discusses her deep love for Ukrainian traditional songs and Orthodox singing, while exploring the differences between Ukrainian and Latvian choral styles. She also addresses important topics such as cultural identity, language learning, and the political dimension of music in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. A touching testimony about preserving musical traditions and building bridges between cultures, where her conviction that "culture is also political" resonates alongside her commitment to her country of origin while integrating into her host country.

Youtube Version of the Interview

✨ Explore the captivating musical world of Latvian composer Rihards Zalupe, the creative force behind the enchanting soundtrack for "Flow" - the latest animated masterpiece from acclaimed director Gints Zilbalodis. 🎵🎬 We also talk about Sauciens Vējā which is a masterpiece. 🎹 Zalupe's innovative composition seamlessly blends traditional and contemporary elements, creating an immersive sonic landscape that perfectly complements Zilbalodis' distinctive visual storytelling. 🌊 His work on "Flow" continues the remarkable artistic partnership that began with previous collaborations. 🎧 Discover how Zalupe's unique approach to music brings emotional depth and narrative power to this wordless animated journey, enhancing every moment through carefully crafted melodies and atmospheric sound design. ✨ 👍 Subscribe for more insights into the work of this talented Latvian composer and his contributions to modern film music! 🇱🇻 🎼🎞️

Evija Skuķe (1992) is a dynamic and vibrant Latvian composer, whose effervescent talent for composing has been apparent since her early studies. Her oeuvre includes pieces for various chamber ensembles, choral music and symphonic opuses. We discuss all typs of influences and the spirit in which she creates, which is always mindful. Enjoy watching ! This content has been created with the help of the American Latvian Association Cultural Fonds. Official webpage : https://evijaskuke.lv/en

Youtube interview

Maija Einfelde’s music remained unknown for long despite its mesmerizing beauty and subtle complexity. This interview is an occasion to speak about her work, and mention obstacles during her musical journey where she never surrender on being a composer. An incredible conversation with a fantastic musician.

▶ CREDITS ◀

• production, editorial content, anchor, photo, recording, video editing, voice over Žils Deless-Vēliņš
• executive production and instant translation Māra Delesa-Vēliņa
• Youtube Subtitles by Tatjana Irwin
• Introduction music composed by Lunt (lunt.bandcamp.com)

Performed by Asari vocal ensemble directed by Artūrs Oskars Mitrevics Soprano Laura Štoma Altos Māra Delesa-Vēlina, Agnese Osīte-Slava, Ilze Ārniece Bass Oskars Krūklis, Artūrs Oskars Mitrevics

Youtube Version

Kaspars Ādamsons is the artistic director of the Latvian Academy of Culture mixed choir Sōla, as well as the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music symphony orchestra. He conducted many Operas in Latvia and In 2015, Ādamsons was nominated for the Grand Music Award in the category for Best New Artist, and was voted the audience favourite. We talk about his journey and life through music, the next song and dance festival and the complexity and issues when conducting a choir.

Andris Dzenītis is one of the most inventive composer of Latvia, able to find light into darkness, erudite (teacher of music) but very intuitive in his way to provide fantastic contrasts and rich variety of sound layers, with a research of pure energy. We can see in this interview his sense of humor and a profound reflexion on his path in music. His personal website. https://dzenitis.webs.com/ He twice received Latvia's highest award in music – the Latvian Great Music Award – in 2006 for his vocal symphonic work "Fides. Spes. Caritas" and again in 2014 for his concerto for saxophone and orchestra "E(GO)". Other compositions by Dzenītis have regularly been nominated for the Latvian Great Music Award as well as the "Diena" Annual Culture Award. Dzenītis is also working in the field of electronic improvised music, playing with his group "Woodpecker project" since year 2006. This content has been created with the help of American Latvian Association Cultural Fonds.

Peteris Vasks is one of the most influential living Latvian composers. His work is imbued with faith and like Arvo Part his music need existential understanding. We speak about his life and trajectory, many of his important pieces that are milestones in Latvian contemporary classical music.

YouTube Version Here

🇬🇧🇱🇻🇨🇵YouTube Version (English,Latvian and French subtitles)

Truth and beauty: these are the qualities Latvian pianist Reinis Zariņš seeks in the music he chooses, the interpretations he sculpts, and the collaborations he enters. Equally at home in classical and contemporary repertoire, his passion lies in the crafting of conceptual programmes that encourage interaction between music, philosophy, history, and theology. We can hear these elements in this mindful interview. More on reiniszarins.com

This content has been created with the help of the Culture Fonds of American Latvian Association.

▶ MUSIC in This episode◀

All tracks performed by Reinis Zariņš

"Kreisleriana Opus 16 VI.Sehr Langsam" by Robert Schumann

"Le baiser de l'Enfant-Jesus" dans 20 Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus by Olivier Messiaen

"Concerto in G II. Adagio Assai" by Maurice Ravel

▶ Credits◀

- production, editorial content, anchor, photo, recording, video editing Žils Deless-Vēliņš

- executive production Māra Delesa-Vēliņa

Introduction music composed by Žils Deless-Vēliņš

Asari vocal ensemble directed by Artūrs Oskars Mitrevics

Soprano Laura Štoma

Altos Māra Delesa-Vēlina, Agnese Osīte-Slava, Ilze Ārniece

Bass Oskars Krūklis, Artūrs Oskars Mitrevics

▶ COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER ◀

All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.

We are also on YouTube (Latvian Subtitles available)

Why Latvian Culture matters ? What is specific to Latvian composers and performers ? This channel tries to answer to this in showing the diversity of the point of views, and a unity that can be found between the lines.

Project by Žils Deless-Vēliņš and Māra Delesa-Vēliņa

Support us on paypal.me/vienabalsi

YouTube Version

This content has been created with the help of the Culture Fonds of American Latvian Association.

Gundega Šmite is an internationally acclaimed composer. She has collaborated with Latvian, Swedish, Berlin Radio choirs, BBC Singers, Stockholm saxophone quartet, Ensemble Lucilin (Belgium), BIT20 (Norway), Dissonart ensemble (Greece) among others. He music is regularly performed in Latvia and abroad, including festivals Klangspuren, London Ear, ISCM World Music Days. Gundega Šmite has been a lecturer at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Music Academy from 2008. In 2013 she acquired doctoral degree (PhD) in Musicology for her thesis that concerns music and text relationship in the modern Latvian choral music. Šmite has been a chairwoman of the Latvian Composers’ Union (2009 -2012). As well, she has been an artistic director of New Music festival “Arena”.

- editorial content, anchor, photo, recording, video editing Žils Deless-Vēliņš

- production Māra Delesa-Vēliņa

▶ COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER ◀

All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.