Juris Kļaviņš
1944
Conductor, educator
Born on 22 April 1944 in Rīga. In 1962, graduated from the conducting class of the Emīls Dārziņš Special Music School, continued his studies at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian State Conservatory, graduating from the Department of Choir Conducting (1967) and internship (1974) under the guidance of Ludmila Pismennaja.
Gained practical experience singing in the Ave Sol chamber choir led by Imants Kokars, and was also its conductor. During his studies, worked as a recording engineer at Rīga’s Melodija recording studio (from 1966) and conductor of the Daile (Beauty) State Dance Ensemble (1968-1971).
From 1971 to this day, Kļaviņš has been a lecturer at the Department of Conducting of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. Conducted the Academy’s Department of Choir Conducting’s teaching choir and the Composers’ and Musicologists’ choir. Has written a number of important academic and methodological studies, including Key Principles of Chamber Choir Operations, The Choruses of B. Britten’s opera Peter Grimes, The Ave Sol Chamber Choir, The Choral Songs of J. Zālītis, The Original Choral Compositions of J. Graubiņš, and J. Ivanovs’ Vocalization Exercises.
From 1987 to 1992, was the artistic director and principal conductor of the State Radio and Television Teodors Kalniņš choir. Has worked with amateur choirs throughout his life – led the Aizkraukle District Teachers’ choir, was the first conductor of the Ikšķile choir. Began performing with Juventus, the University of Latvia choir in 1968, later taking over as the choir’s artistic director (1988-2014), since 2007 – principal conductor of Jubilate, the University of Latvia alumni choir (formerly the Lattelekom choir).
The Latvian Radio library of sound recordings holds some 300 choir songs by Latvian and foreign composers recorded under his direction. Has staged many interesting concerts with choirs, performing both in Latvia and abroad, such as a programme of choral songs by Leonīds Vīgners (2002), concerts of works by Jēkabs Graubiņš and Romualds Jermaks, the cantata Dievs, Tava zeme deg! (God, Your Land is on Fire!) by Lūcija Garūta (2008).
Kļaviņš is known as an active public figure in Latvian choral and choir conducting circles. Since 1989, has been the President of the Latvian Choir Association, a member of the Rīga Latvian Society Council and its Music Committee. Has participated several times in the organisation and artistic direction of the Rīgas Zīle Youth Choir Festival and the Gaudeamus Baltic Students’ song festival.
A chief conductor at the XXth-XXIInd All-Latvian Song Festivals, Honorary chief conductor at the XXVth-XXVIIth Latvian Song Festivals, chief conductor at the VIth European All-Latvian Song Festival in Helsingborg (Sweden), the IXth Canadian All-Latvian Song Festival in Toronto (1991), and the Xth-XVth Gaudeamus Baltic Student Song Festivals, and musical director of the XIIth-XVth Gaudeamus Festivals. Chief conductor of many district song festivals, days of song and choir gatherings, and for Aizkraukle District choirs.
Officer, Order of the Three Stars (1999), awarded with the honorary Certificate of the Presidium of the Latvian SSR Supreme Council (1988) and honorary Member Diploma of the University of Latvia (2008).
