PHOTO: people say goodbye to multiple Song Festival chief conductor Edgar Rachevsky

The artist will be buried in Baltezers Cemetery.

It has already been reported that Rachevsky passed away on February 15 at the age of 85.

Račevskis was born on July 11, 1936 in Skrunda, studied at Turlava Primary School, then at the Choir Conducting Department of Liepāja Music High School and Jāzeps Mediņš Riga Music High School.

He continued his studies at the Choral Conducting Department of the Latvian State Conservatory, graduating from Andrejs Krūmiņš’s class.
Račevskis has worked as a conductor in the State Song and Dance Ensemble “Sakta” and the State Academic Choir “Latvija”, has been the chief choirmaster of the Latvian National Opera Choir, a long-time artistic director and chief conductor of the Latvian Radio Teodors Kalniņš Choir.

Maestro has founded and conducted several choirs of high artistic value in Latvia, as well as initiated and maintained cultural and historical events.

Račevskis founded and conducted the Riga Polytechnic Institute men’s choir “Gaudeamus”, Tukums district teachers’ choir “Vanema”, Riga Culture and Art Center “Small Guild” mixed choir “Sonore”, Riga Latvian Society House men’s choir.

Since 1970, as a multiple chief conductor, Račevkis has made an invaluable contribution to the maintenance of the tradition of the General Latvian Song and Dance Festival, which is always important for the people’s consciousness.

Throughout his life, Račevskis has also done pedagogical work – he has been a lecturer at the Latvian State Conservatory of Jāzeps Vītols, a professor, head of the Department of Choral Conducting, and a professor at the Liepāja Pedagogical Academy.

From the 1990s, Rachevsky was active in the field of composition and was an honorary member of the Latvian Composers’ Union.

Račevskis is an officer of the Order of the Three Stars and a laureate of the Latvian Grand Music Prize.

Jauns.lv expresses its deepest condolences to the relatives of the deceased.