Latvian Radio Choir Under New Artistic Direction: Sigvards Kliava to Continue Conducting, Kaspars Putniņš Takes Over as Artistic Director

The year 2024 has brought changes Latvian Radio Choir under artistic direction. Sigvard Kliavawho has been the choir’s artistic director and chief conductor since 1992, will continue to conduct the choir in various concerts in Latvia and abroad, but Kaspars Putniņšthe artistic director of the Swedish Radio Choir, is also the chief conductor of the Latvian Radio Choir.

Inta Zēgnere met with both conductors, inquiring about the motivation for making this decision, cooperation and goals for the future, as well as two upcoming events together with the Latvian Radio Choir – the Georgian polyphonic singing program on January 7 in the Dzintari concert hall and the concert story “Vecais Tīss, vilkatis” on January 27 in the “Cēsis” concert hall.

Inta Zēgnere: Thank you for everything you have done so far for the Latvian Radio Choir, and for the fact that during these many years, together with the Radio Choir, you have reached the heights that please the listeners both here and abroad. But at the end of last year, the news reached us that you have decided to change places, that is, Sigvards Kļava will no longer be the artistic director of the Latvian Radio Choir and Kaspars Putniņš has taken his place. Why such a change?

Sigvards Kliava: That inner feeling and the need to change or change something in my creative life has been brewing in me for some time. That’s how it goes for me with all creative processes, because I suffer and go through it for quite a long time, but when I come to a conviction, I announce the decision quite quickly and consistently. I just have to apologize to everyone who may have found it rather unexpected, but I think that important things must be done right away. The most important thing is that there is no external push for the decision. There is no sign of fatigue in me, my head is full of all kinds of ideas. It’s a fantastic thing not to feel exhausted. But what I feel is the volume, the motorization and the capacity at the moment… I really don’t want to rush, that’s why

I need to nurture my ideas for longer, to reflect longer, somehow to settle in the world where I think the creative spirit would feel better.

Therefore, the position and certainly today’s management, which requires an extremely modern rhythm of life, made me accumulate such thoughts.

But what will change when you don’t have the mission of artistic director on your shoulders?

Sigvard Kljava: It is a huge responsibility for whether the big ship is steered correctly or incorrectly, whether its course is on a global scale, or whether we keep our own, strong direction, without talking about domestic trifles or organizational successes, failures and so on. The entire strategy, the programmatic concept – these are things in which the artistic director has a great responsibility.

It is not only a way to realize your musical taste or musical ambitions, but the main thing is to serve your audience, because in reality there is only one indicator – the person who buys the ticket. And it is all over the world.

Serving our listener – easy to say that this is the highest we have, but to fantasize and plan what will be in a year or two, what our extremely demanding and knowledgeable listener will want to hear. A listener who grows with us. It gives a very great intuitive power.

You said that the art director sets the direction of the ship, and we see that the great ship has sailed in the right direction. This is confirmed by something Grammophone award, concerts and success. Kaspar, will you do anything else as a ship captain now?

Kaspars Putniņš: There is a huge value in the operation of the basic things choir, which we must preserve. I see these basic things in two large constituencies. We are a versatile unit that feels very comfortable in the classical repertoire. From the 17th century to modern music, we feel competent, we have our own identity, our own way of singing. The appearance of the choir outside of Latvia in this repertoire is respectable, and we have our place. In recent years, Sigvards has been actively cooperating with the sound recording company Ondinewhich features a lot of music representing Central Europe, such as Bruckner’s motets.

We have our own voice and the way we resonate with that music is needed and interesting in the world.

So on the one hand there is this universal platform, the classical repertoire and all the knowledge and skills that go with it. The pocket in which these skills are located is wide enough, structured and good, but on the other hand, always – and this has really been a strategy from the very beginning – the Latvian Radio Choir has been the champion of new music. New music does not mean only that new scores and new names appear, but new music in our understanding has always meant a step into the unknown, awareness of a new kind of potential and generally mastering such an unexplored territory. These are always issues of cooperation, involving composers and other wonderful artists both in Latvia and in the world. Here, these two things – they have always been very important to us, that

we stand firmly with these two feet in these two different territories, and that, I think, is what forms the identity and the spirit of the choir.

At the same time, Kaspar, you also lead the Swedish Radio Choir. Of course, it is not too far, and yet they are two different countries. How will you combine these responsibilities?

Kaspars Putniņš: Yes, I said that at the very beginning, when I was asked if I was ready to take responsibility for the Latvian Radio Choir, I said right away that, yes, I am ready and I am doing it with the greatest gratitude and joy. And I can say with a full sense of responsibility that I have, let’s say, the resources to do it. But with certain conditions, because the scope and the list of tasks that Sigvard has had, we have to review. We are in the process. It must be said that in the history of the Swedish Radio Choir, there has not been a single artistic director who has not been the chief conductor and artistic director of another choir. (..) A whole bunch of my colleagues are artistic directors in several choirs, orchestras, opera houses, and this is normal. I think that my being here with the Latvian Radio Choir is also an issue that must be discussed and explored anew.

Sigvards Kljava is a huge resource in many different ways – both in the relationship he has established with the choir, and also his musical experience is a huge value and a huge potential.

There is a lot of territory for continuation, new projects and strategies. This is definitely a field that needs to be nurtured and developed in the future. (..) One thing that is perhaps less visible to our audience and remains in the shadows is what has happened with sound recordings, because recently Sigvard together with the Radio Choir and Ondine really recorded a lot of music. It is extremely important for all of us to water and otherwise maintain this garden so that it continues to thrive and flourish.

Latvijas Radio invites you to express your opinion about what you heard in the program and supports discussions among listeners, however, reserves the right to delete comments that violate the boundaries of respectful attitude and ethical behavior.

2024-01-04 18:52:54


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