The “Great Music Award” is the highest national award in music. It was established 30 years ago at the initiative of the then Minister of Culture Raimonds Paul to highlight and honor the brightest achievements in the life of professional music.
This time, artists will compete for the award in nine categories. But it is already known that composer Vilnis Šmīdbergs and pianist Arnis Zandmanis will receive the “Great Music Award” for lifetime achievement.
“It is also a huge responsibility for us to think about our history, which we leave to future generations as evidence of history. We can consider these two personalities as testimonies of living history,” says composer Andris Vecumnieks, chairman of the jury of the “Great Music Award”.
Last year, 500 concerts organized by national concert organizations were played in Latvia. This shows the wide range of professionals who carry the name of Latvia also in the world.
“Concerts in a wide variety of musical genres have taken place at a rich and high professional level – in concert programs and performances of jazz, chamber music, symphonic, choral music, electronic and baroque music,” says Minister of Culture Agnese Logina (P).
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As always, young talents who have shone brightly in the field of professional music in the previous year are especially highlighted. Trombonist Vadims Dmitrijevs and singers Katrīna Paula Felsberga and Ieva Sumeja apply for the award.
The concert performance of Richard Wagner’s opera “Siegfried” in the Cēsis Concert Hall, Hector Berlioz’s “Requiem” in the Riga Dome, as well as the national holiday concert “Latvijai 105” in Liepāja’s “Great Amber” will compete for the prestigious “Concert of the Year” award.
On the other hand, the Latvijas Radio big band, saxophonist Aigars Raumanis and harpsichordist Ieva Saliete are competing for the award for outstanding performance throughout the year.
Throughout the year, the jury has visited concerts, not only enjoying them, but also evaluating them in a nuanced way. The competition and performance of the musicians is getting higher every year, but the work of the jury is getting more and more complicated.
“This list reflects the extensive work of the jury – not only numerically, but also geographically. The concert venues throughout Latvia have been evaluated, the events have been reviewed, the hours have been spent on the road, and here is the result,” said Guntars Ķirsis, a member of the board of “Latvijas Koncertu”.
The “Great Music Award” ceremony will take place on March 12 at the Latvian National Opera.
2024-01-10 20:19:37
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