July 16, 2023 20:00
The Great Hall

Vestards Šimkus and the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra

Participants:
Vestards Šimkus, piano
Diāna Jaunzeme – Portnaja, organ
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
Conductor – Jānis Liepiņš

Program:
George Gershwin Piano Concerto
Camille Saint-Saëns “Danse Macabre”
Camille Saint-Saëns 3rd Symphony
Leonard Bernstein “Candide” Overture

Dzintari Concert Hall would like to announce that the soloist and title of the concert have been changed. Due to her health, Baiba Skride will not be able to participate in the concert. The soloist of the concert will be virtuoso Latvian pianist Vestards Šimkus.

Purchased tickets are valid.

If you do not want to attend the concert, the purchased tickets can be handed over at the ticket offices of “Bilešu paradīze” with a refund until 07.09.2023. To receive a refund for tickets purchased online, please write to info@bilesuparadize.lv.

Approximate duration of the concert: 2 hours 30 minutes

The festival is supported by Jūrmala Municipality.

The project is co-financed by REACT-EU funding for mitigating the consequences of the pandemic crisis.

Performers

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra

The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) is the biggest Latvian symphony orchestra, founded in 1926. Since then the orchestra has collaborated with a number of renowned conductors and has performed in prestigious concert halls in Europe and the world. Among the principal conductors were names such as Vasilijs Sinaisks, Olari Eltss, Paul Megi and Karel Mark Chichon. Since October 2013 Andris Poga is the chief conductor of LNSO. The orchestra focuses mainly on the 19th and 20th century world symphonic masterpieces, classical values created by Latvian composers and contemporary musical works, as well as occasional concert or opera performances. The LNSO pays great attention to children's and youth education programmes, has been successfully implementing a series of chamber music programmes for several years, and since 2015 has celebrated the end of the summer at the new festival "LNSO Summer House".

Jānis Liepiņš

Jānis Liepiņš

Conductor

Jānis Liepiņš

Jānis Liepiņš

Conductor

Jānis Liepiņš is one of the most promising and talented conductors of his generation, a sought-after conductor of opera music who has regularly collaborated with outstanding opera singers. Since 2019, he has been First Kapellmeister of the Mannheim National Opertheater.

Vestards Šimkus

"Vestards Šimkus is something special! He has an inimitable personality, self-confidence and brilliant technique. Some people can talk about the end of classical music, but when you hear Šimkus play, you can be sure - classical music is doing quite well," - Paavo Järvi, the Estonian Grammy Award-winning conductor. Vestards Šimkus gained international recognition after winning several competitions, including winning 1st place at the Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona (2009).

Diāna Jaunzeme-Portnaja

Diāna Jaunzeme-Portnaja

Organ

DIĀNA JAUNZEME-PORTNAJA graduated from J. Ivanovs Rēzekne Secondary Music School, and afterwards, from J. Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, attaining her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in the organ class of prof. T. Deksnis (2005). The organist developed her mastery in the Enschede Academy of Music in the Netherlands (2001), the International Organ Academy in Sweden (2003, 2005), and in master classes in Sweden, Spain and Lithuania. She has frequently performed concerts in churches of Rīga and Latvia both with solo programs and in collaboration with soloists and choirs; performed in Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and other countries. D. Jaunzeme-Portnaja is a member of the organ duet RIGA ORGANUM DUO since 2013. The organist works as a project manager, as well, organizing concert series in many Latvian churches and taking part for organization of the historical organs festival over the Latvia since 2017.