Choir

He holds a professional doctorate in arts (a joint program of Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, the Latvian Academy of Culture, and the Art Academy of Latvia), a master’s degree in music – orchestral conducting (from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre), and a master’s degree in music – choral conducting (from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music). Alongside his active studies, Kaspars has furthered his expertise under early music specialist Prof. Erik van Nevel at the Leuven Conservatory in Belgium (Lemmensinstituut Leuven) and honed his orchestral conducting skills at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm (Kungliga Musikhögskolan) under the world-renowned conductor Daniel Harding.

As a choir conductor Artūrs has achieved success in the 2nd International Imants Kokars Young Choral Conductors Competition (2nd place) and Jazeps Vitols 6th International Choral Conductors Competition (3rd place), and worked with Riga Chamber choir Ave Sol.

After graduating from Riga Cathedral Choir School (class of Mārtiņš Klišāns) as a choir conductor, Artūrs continued his studies as an orchestra conductor at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in Prof. Andris Vecumnieks’ class. He has also participated in several masterclasses with conductors Jorma Panula, Johannes Schlaefli, Nicolas Pasquet and Paul Mägi.

As a pianist, Artūrs actively commits to the genre of Lied, most recent highlight being a recital in Rachmaninoff’s Villa Senar in Switzerland together with Latvian soprano Katrīna Paula Felsberga. In 2023, they also participated in the LIEDBasel Festival, where they were mentored by Malcolm Martineau and Angelika Kirchschlager.

In the fall of 2023, Jurģis Rāts began his studies at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in the symphonic orchestra conducting department under Professor Andris Vecumnieks.

During his studies, Jurģis has worked with the Riga Cathedral Choir School’s mixed choir and has also served as choirmaster/conductor for the Riga School of Economics mixed choir, the mixed choir “Jasmīna,” and the mixed choir “Skaņupe.”

In 2014, he was awarded the JVLMA and Swedbank Prize for creative achievements in 2013. In 2015, he earned 3rd place and a special prize for the best interpretation of F. Schubert’s “Ave Maria” at the Klaudia Taevas International Young Opera Singers Competition in Estonia.

In 2013, he was a soloist and stipend recipient of the Ināra and Boris Teterev Foundation at the LNO Academy.

Since 2014, Rihards Millers has been a soloist at the Latvian National Opera, with a repertoire that includes the roles of Count Almaviva in W. A. Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Falke in J. Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, Carlo in G. Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Gip in J. Lūsēns’s The Bird Opera, Marullo in G. Verdi’s Rigoletto, Valdis in A. Maskats’s Valentīna, Pantalone in S. Prokofiev’s Love for Three Oranges, Fiorello in G. Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Geronte in G. Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, Marco in G. Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, the Ghost in G. Verdi’s Macbeth, and the Builder in E. Ešenvalds’s The Immured, among others.

Rihards Millers also participates in various musical projects outside the Latvian National Opera. He collaborates with conductors Sigvards Kļava, Aigars Meri, Viesturs Gailis, Jānis Zirnis, Ivars Cinkuss, Andrejs Jansons, and Lukas Groen (Estonia) to perform large-scale works and take part in musical productions.