Gunta Paškovska

1944
Choir conductor, educator

Born on 25 February 1944 in Talsi. Initially attended schools around Nereta, continued in Talsi. Received her musical education at the Jelgava Music secondary school, graduating in 1966. Studied at the Latvian State Conservatory’s Department of Choir Conducting, later – in the Department of Music Pedagogy, obtained a master’s degree at the Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology of the University of Latvia.

Started out at a music teacher in 1976 at Jelgava State High School, where she founded the Skali (Splinters) and Skaliņi choirs. Was a choirmaster of the Liepa (Linden) female choir of the Latvian University of Agriculture (1976-1981), and conducted several vocal ensembles from the faculties of the Latvian University of Agriculture, as well as the Talsi female choir Vaiva (1993-1998). Under her leadership, the choir achieved great success in both foreign guest tours and domestic choir competitions – at the XXIInd All-Latvian Song Festival, Paškovska was the only conductor whose three choirs (Skali, Talsi female choir Vaiva and Jelgava High School No 2 united choir) all reached the finals of the choir competition. “I doubt if there are many people who are as fortunate as me – my work has been and is like a hobby, and vice versa. Maybe that’s why I have been so fortunate. In my work, I’ve never been driven by the outcome, but by a sense of work well done.” (Pommers, Ģirts, The Zonta Club names women – pride of the city. Jelgavasvestnesis.lv, 8 November 2016)