Gints Ceplenieks
1976
Conductor, educator
Born on 6 May 1976 in Liepāja. After graduating from the Liepāja Music School, continued his studies at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, receiving a master’s degree in choir conducting.
Started his conducting career when still a student – beginning as a choirmaster with the Priekule mixed choir, later as a conductor with the Rīdzene mixed choir and Vaiva female choir. Currently conductor of the Talsi Secondary School boys’ and mixed choir, Rīga Business School choir, Rīga Handicraft Secondary School choir and the Rīga Technical University Mixed Choir Vivere (since 2007). His choirs have participated in countless international choral-music competitions, festivals, projects and forums in Europe and the United States, achieving significant success.
Has been the conducting teacher and head of the conducting programme at the Jāzeps Mediņš Rīga Music Secondary school, conductor of the mixed choir of Rīga Dome Choir School, and is currently the headmaster of this school. Was a jury member at the World Choir Games 2014, is a member of the jury of the annual choir competition, as well as the initiator and artistic director of the Zaļā bumba (Green Ball) boys’ choir gathering organised in Talsi.
A chief conductor at the XXVth - XXVIIth All-Latvian Song Festivals, chief conductor’s assistant and choir coordinator at the XXIVth All-Latvian Song and Dance Festival, artistic director of the XIth Latvian School Song and Dance Festival concluding concert (2015), chief conductor of the Talsi, Roja and Dundaga districts (2010-2021) and Talsi municipality (since 2021).
“The conductor’s profession is one of the most difficult, because you have to work in a world of people’s emotions and feelings. You have to decipher the composer’s feelings, and get the singers to understand them as well. It’s not just giving the choir a beat, and then it all happens.” (Kārkliņa, Diāna. Tested by the massed choir. Diena.lv, 5 June 2013)
