The nominees and winners of the Great Music Award 2022 have been named

On Thursday, January 12, the jury of the Grand Music Prize announced the nominees of the Grand Music Prize – the best musicians, groups, concerts and performances in 2022 at a press conference. The laureates of lifetime achievement awards – vocalists Lilija Greidāne and Aina Bajāre – have also been named.

It has already been reported that the Grand Music Award ceremony will take place on March 7 at 7 p.m. at the Latvian National Opera. The event will be covered by Latvian Television channel 1 and Latvian Radio 3 “Klasika”. The voting for the “Delphi” audience’s favorite will take place from February 13 to March 5, offering everyone the chance to choose their favorite from the nominees for the Great Music Award.

The big music award this year will be presented in seven categories, providing a broad insight into the diversity of Latvian musical life. The prestigious award will be presented for the 30th time this year.

“The Grand Music Award is one of the most traditional awards during the period of Independent Latvia. Prestigious, with a high degree of professionalism and quality. Always very welcome. It has been proudly recorded in the biographies of musicians for almost 30 years. In this process, the award jury also invests a lot of work, which analyzes during the year around 300 concerts. I congratulate all the nominees, but I especially want to pay tribute to the lifetime achievement award winners – singer Lilija Greidanis and singer and vocal teacher Aina Bajaaris. I also have a deep personal joy for both of them!” emphasized Culture Minister Nauris Puntulis.

The Great Music Award (LMB) is the highest Latvian state award in music. In 1993, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, on the initiative of the then Minister of Culture Raimonds Paul, decided to annually honor the best achievements in the music life of our country with a special award. The high prestige of LMB, both in society and in musicians’ circles, is ensured by the work of a respectable jury, whose members attend concerts throughout the year and meet monthly at meetings. At the beginning of January, the jury nominates the previous year’s LMB nominees, who are announced at a special press conference of the Ministry of Culture, and only before the LMB presentation event itself, the jury votes for the laureates.

The LMB 2022 jury included: Daina Markova, musicologist, chairman of the jury, Ilze Medne, musicologist, Latvian Radio 3 “Klasika” journalist, Maruta Rubeze, musicologist, Latvian Radio 3 “Classical” journalist, Iveta Grunde, musicologist, music teacher and lecturer, Lauma Mellēna-Bartkeviča, music and theater critic, researcher of the JVLMA Scientific Research Center, Mareks Ameriks, founder and manager of the jazz music publishing house “Jersika Records”, Ilmārs Šlāpins, publicist.

LMB 2022 – awards and nominations.

Lifetime Achievement Award:

singer Lilija Greidāne;
singer and vocal teacher Aina Bajāre.

“Young Artist of the Year”:

singer Arta Jēkabson;
Trio “Metamorfoze”?
The students of the musical department of the Riga Cathedral Choir School performed the musical “Pūt, vējini!” by Kārlis Lāčas. in the production.

“Concert of the Year”:

Paula Shumane (violin), Yevgenija Frolova (viola) and Anna Veselova (cello) on May 7 in Mazaja Mežotne Palace (organizer – Pēteras Vaska Foundation);

Concert performance of Richard Wagner’s opera “Tristan und Isolde” on July 9 in the concert hall “Cēsis” – soloists, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andris Poga (organizer – Cēsis Art Festival);

Matīss Čudars (guitar), Edvīns Ozols (bass) and Ivars Arutjunjans (percussion instruments) on July 19 in the cultural space “M/Darbnīca” (organized by “M/workshop”).

“For an excellent interpretation”:

conductor Krista Audere – motets by Johann Sebastian Bach on August 27, Riga St. Peter’s Church (together with the State Academic Choir “Latvija”);

Vineta Sareika – Johannes Brahms Concerto for violin and orchestra on September 23 in the Great Guild (together with the State Chamber Orchestra Sinfonietta Rīga and conductor Normunda Schne);

Rihards Müller (baritone) and Erika Müller (piano) – Franz Schubert’s vocal cycle “Winter Journey” on November 6 in the music and drama room “OratoriO”.

“For outstanding performance throughout the year”:

saxophonist Kārlis Auziņš;
percussionist Guntars Freibergs;
singer Yuliya Vasilieva.

“For outstanding work in an ensemble”:

cellist Inga Ozola;
pianist Rihards Plešanovs;
harpist Ieva Shablovska.

“New Work of the Year”:

Krista Auznieka’s “Sensus”, premiere on February 18 at Riga St. St. John’s Church – Latvian Radio Choir and conductor Kaspars Putniņš;

Andras Dzenīš’s Second Symphony “Warm Wind”, first performance on March 5 in Liepaja concert hall “Lielais dzintars” – Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andris Poga;

Clarinet concert “Long Walks” by Jānis Petraškevičs, premiered on January 29 at the Great Guild – Anna Gāgane, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Guntis Kuzma.

“Performance of the Year”:

Anna Fischer’s opera “Vēsā” in the Valmiera “Kurtuve”, conductor Artūrs Gailis, director Klāvs Mellis (organizer – Valmiera Summer Theater Festival);

Alfreda Kalniņa’s opera “Baņuta” “Tu jau zini kur” in the quarter of Tallinas street, musical director Jēkabs Nīmanis, director Franciska Kronfota (organizers – Story HubSanssouci Society, hit and stab);

Jānis Kalniņš’s opera “Hamlet” at the Latvian National Opera, conductor Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, director Kristīna Vuss (organizer – LNOB).