• Marga Marga Apsīte Choreographer
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    MargaApsīte

    Marga Apsīte

    1945
    Educator, répétiteur

    Born 23 March 1945 in Rīga. Graduated from Rīga Choreography Secondary School (1964), learning from outstanding educators such as Tamāra Vītiņa, Valentīna Bļinova, Helēna Tangijeva-Birzniece and Bella Matisone. Graduate of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian State Conservatoire, Cultural Education Faculty, specialising in dance (1981–1986).

  • Aija Aija Baumane Choreographer
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    AijaBaumane

    Aija Baumane

    1932–2011
    Choreographer, educator, ballet artist

    Born 31 July 1932 in Rīga. Received her vocational education qualification at the Rīga Secondary School of Choreography, in the class of Helēna Tangijeva-Birzniece (1945–1953), and later worked as a soloist at the Latvian Opera and Ballet Theatre.

  • Imants Imants Cepītis Chief conductor
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    ImantsCepītis

    Imants Cepītis

    1933–1993
    Conductor, educator

    Born on 9 January 1933 in Gulbene. Studied at Gulbene Secondary School and later at the Cēsis Music Secondary School. Furthered his musical education at the Latvian State Conservatory, in the choir conducting class of Jānis Ozoliņš (1954-1959).

  • Ausma Ausma Derkēvica Chief conductor
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    AusmaDerkēvica

    Ausma Derkēvica

    1929–2011
    Choir conductor, educator

    An outstanding Latvian conductor, the initiator and developer of the high-quality young female-choir movement in Latvia in the second half of the 20th century. The first woman to direct the Song Festival massed choir from the chief conductor’s podium.

  • Jānis Jānis Dūmiņš Chief conductor , festivals outside Latvia
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    JānisDūmiņš

    Jānis Dūmiņš

    1922–2011
    Conductor, educator

    One of the most outstanding Latvian conductors and educators.

    Born on 30 March 1922 in Rīga. Studied at the Krišjānis Barons Elementary School and the Rainis Evening Secondary school, graduating in 1941. Initially acquired his musical knowledge from private tutors, then at the Vīgneru Ernests Rīga Institute of Phonology.

  • Daumants Daumants Gailis Chief conductor
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    DaumantsGailis

    Daumants Gailis

    1927–1991
    Conductor, educator

    Born 9 February 1927 at the Viduķēsas homestead in Rāmuļi Parish. Studied at Rāmule (1935-1939) and Vaive Elementary Schools (1939-1941), Cēsis No 1 Secondary School and simultaneously at the Cēsis Music School (1941-1946). In Rīga, continued his studies at the Emīls Dārziņš Special Music Secondary School (1946-1948) and at the Conservatory of Latvia, where he studied choir and symphonic orchestra conducting (1948-1953).

  • Gido Gido Kokars Chief conductor
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    GidoKokars

    Gido Kokars

    1921–2017
    Conductor, educator

    A notable and beloved Latvian conductor of the second half of the 20th century.

  • Imants Imants Kokars Chief conductor , festivals outside Latvia
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    ImantsKokars

    Imants Kokars

    1921–2011
    Conductor, educator

    One of the most outstanding and influential Latvian conductors of the second half of the 20th century.

  • Pauls Pauls Kvelde Chief conductor , festivals outside Latvia
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    PaulsKvelde

    Pauls Kvelde

    1927–2017
    Conductor, composer

    Born 23 February 1927 in Priekuļi. Studied at Auce elementary school and Rīga Secondary School No 1. Initially studied at the Latvian Academy of Agriculture (1945-1951), then at the Conservatory of Latvia, in the choir-conducting classes of Jānis Dūmiņš and Teodors Kalniņš (1950-1955).

  • Aleksandrs Aleksandrs Lembergs Choreographer
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    AleksandrsLembergs

    Aleksandrs Lembergs

    1921–1985
    Ballet dancer, ballet master, educator, Premier danseur of the Latvian State Opera and Ballet

    One of the most prominent Latvian ballet personalities of the second half of the 20th century.

  • Ilgvars Ilgvars Matrozis Chief conductor
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    IlgvarsMatrozis

    Ilgvars Matrozis

    1938–1987
    Conductor, educator

    Born 17 March 1938 in the Aizpute District. Studied at Liepāja Secondary School No 3, as well as at the Liepāja Music School. After graduating from the Liepāja workers’ evening school, enrolled in the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Latvian State University (1957), where started singing in the university choir conducted by the Kokars brothers. From 1961, continued his studies at the Latvian State Conservatory’s Department of Choir Conducting, graduating from Gido Kokars’ class (1966).

  • Vilis Vilis Ozols Choreographer
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    VilisOzols

    Vilis Ozols

    1923–2011
    Choreographer, cultural figure

    Born 20 March 1923 at the Mežgaiļi farmstead, Valgunde Parish, Jelgava District. Studied at the Jelgava Teachers’ Institute (1941–1943). During World War II, he ended up in Leningrad, where he became a member of amateur ensembles – playing in an orchestra, dancing in the Gorky Palace choreography studio and directing dance groups.

  • Edgars Edgars Račevskis Chief conductor , festivals outside Latvia
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    EdgarsRačevskis

    Edgars Račevskis

    1936-2022
    Conductor, educator, composer

    Born 11 July 1936 in Skrunda Parish. Attended Turlava elementary school, studied music at Liepāja Music secondary school and the Jāzeps Mediņš Music secondary school, later studied in the choir-conducting class at the Latvian State Conservatory (1955-1960).

  • Ingrīda Edīte Ingrīda Edīte Saulīte Choreographer
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    Ingrīda EdīteSaulīte

    Ingrīda Edīte Saulīte

    1935
    Educator, choreographer

    One of the Dance Celebrations’ brightest and most active personalities.

    Born 24 October 1935 in Rīga. Initial education at Rīga’s No 19 Seven-year school, also attending the Beatrise Vīgnere School of Plastic, followed by the Rīga Choreography School (1946–1952).

  • Alfrēds Alfrēds Spura Choreographer
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    AlfrēdsSpura

    Alfrēds Spura

    1928–2001
    Ballet artist, choreographer

    Born 30 March 1928 in Stelpe Parish. Graduated from the Rīga Secondary School of Choreography (1947–1951). Spent thirty years of his life (1947–1976) at the Opera and Ballet Theatre, including with ballet stars Māris Liepa, Haralds Ritenbergs, Uldis Žagats and Arturs Ēķis. The artist was a striking character-role dancer.

  • Harijs Harijs Sūna Choreographer
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    HarijsSūna

    Harijs Sūna

    1923–1999
    Choreographer, academic, educator

    One of the most outstanding and versatile Latvian personalities in the 20th century dance genre.
    Born 23 March 1923 in Sigulda Parish. Graduated from the Latvian State University, Faculty of Architecture. Then studied at the A. Lunacharsky State Dramatic Art Institute in Moscow (1960–1964), including with the famous choreographer Igor Moiseev.

  • Baiba Rasma Baiba Rasma Šteina Choreographer
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    Baiba RasmaŠteina

    Baiba Rasma Šteina

    1940
    Choreographer, educator

    Born 22 April 1940 in Rīga. Studied the fundamentals of dance in the private studio of Helēna Tangijevaa-Birzniece (1946), and improved her knowledge by dancing in the dance group of the Cultural Centre of the Latvian Republican Trade Union Council (1946–1958) and in the Dancis (Dance) folk-dance ensemble (1958–1969) led by Harijs Sūna and Uldis Žagata. At the same time, Šteina graduated from the Latvian State University, Faculty of History and Philology (1966) and worked as an editor at the Rīga Documentary Film Studio (1965–1996).

  • Uldis Uldis Šteins Choreographer
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    UldisŠteins

    Uldis Šteins

    1935-2023
    Choreographer, dance educator, engineer, film producer

    Born 28 July 1935 in Rīga. After graduating from the Rīga Polytechnical Institute (1959), started working at the Rīga Film Studio as Chief Engineer (1968–1978), later as Deputy Director (1978–1990) and Director (1990–1998), taught cinema technology at the Latvian Academy of Culture.

  • Osvalds Osvalds Štrauss Choreographer
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    OsvaldsŠtrauss

    Osvalds Štrauss

    1927–2014
    Choreographer, educator

    Born 8 July 1927 in Kalnciems Parish. Studied at Kalnciems Elementary School, Bulduri State Horticultural-Apiary School, Bulduri Horticultural Technical School and graduated from the Latvian Academy of Agriculture, Faculty of Agronomy (1967). Received a Master’s degree in Educational theory from the Latvian University of Agriculture on the topic The Preparation of Schoolchildren for Dance Celebrations and its Educational-theory Aspect (1997).

  • Uldis Uldis Žagata Choreographer
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    UldisŽagata

    Uldis Žagata

    1928–2015
    Ballet artist, choreographer

    Born 17 March 1928 at the Pērles farmstead in Jeri Parish. Studied at the Rīga Choreography School (1944–1948). After graduation, he became a soloist at the Opera and Ballet Theatre (1948–1968), an outstanding performer of character roles.

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