IVARS CINKUSS (1969)

IVARS CINKUSS (1969) conductor, singer, music educator, musical actor, adjudicator in international choral competitions graduated from the Latvian Academy of Music with a BA in choral conducting in 1992 and with MA in Music from Westminster Choir College (Princeton, USA) in 1995.

Currently Mr. Cinkuss is Artistic Director for two choirs – leading Latvian male choir Gaudeamus of the Riga Technical University and mixed choir Cantus Fortis. Additionally, he supervises choirs of Northern Latvia and male choirs in the capitol city of Riga. He also is one of the Chief conductors of the Latvian National Song Festival. In 2013 I. Cinkuss was appointed Artistic director of the Gala concert of the Latvian National Song Festival. 

As conductor Ivars Cinkuss has collaborated with different Latvian professional groups - Baroque orchestra Collegium Musicum Riga, Riga Chamber Players, Latvian Radio Choir, State Academic Choir Latvia, Liepaja Symphony Orchestra and Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Cinkuss’ professional conducting performances span all across Europe, USA, Canada, China and Australia including such major concert venues as Musikverein in Vienna, Forbidden City Hall in Beijing, Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, Notre Dame de Paris, John F. Kennedy center in Washington DC and Haydnsaal of Esterzázy Palace in Eisenstadt.

Ivars Cinkuss has lectured across Latvia in various forums on the subjects of vocal phonetics, musical stylistics and early choral repertoire. In England, Sweden, Germany, USA, Canada and Australia I. Cinkuss has been asked to lead seminars on the uniqueness of Latvian choral music and choral singing traditions.

Among recent significant conducting performances are world premiere performance of Maija Einfelde’s And God shall dry all tears…, world premier performance of Uģis Prauliņ’s Venus et Amor and Opera Ficta, Henry Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas (for this outstanding production I. Cinkuss received the Latvian Ministry of Culture award), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C minor (KV 427) as well as Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B minor, Magnificat, Arvo Pärt’s Passio and cantata Rinaldo by Johannes Brahms.

Mr. Cinkuss frequently performs as baritone soloist for the most part in Baroque period works and contemporary Latvian chamber music.

The list of theatrical roles played by Mr. Cinkuss includes: 

King in Gelsomino in the Land of Liars (musical, dir. Dace Micāne)

Spirit in Listen/Ieklausies (musical, dir. Dace Micāne)

Goldsmith in Mystery of Riga (musical, dir. Dace Micāne)

Principal He in Red over Black (musical poetry performance, 

dir. Cathy Boyd, Scotland)

Dream Strangler in Mystery of Love and Dream (musical, 

dir. Dž. Dž. Džilindžers)

Chef in Fruits of the Earth (chamber opera, dir. Baņuta Rubess)

Aeneas in Escape from Troy (play, dir. Baņuta Rubess)

Scribe in Era of the Surveyor/Mērnieku laiki (play, dir. Viesturs Kairišs)

Businessman in Oh, Pilot (chamber opera, dir. Baņuta Rubess)

Himself in The Hostage (movie, dir. Laila Pakalniņa)

 

RIHARDS RUDZĪTIS (1973)

Rihards Rudzitis (1973) graduated Latvian Music Academy in 1996 as a Bachelor in choir conducting.  He participates in many projects as a singer with all Latvian porfessional choirs.
From 1996 he is  the conductor of Riga Technical University Male choir „Gaudeamus”.
In 2002 he founded the  youth chamber choir in Bussiness highscool „Turiba”.
From 2002 he is the soloist of chamber choir of city Ventspils.
In 2004 he was a founder of the instrumental ensemble „Remo”.
In 2005 the vocal group „Universum” was founded.
From 2006 Rihards has been the conductor of the youth choir „Muza”.
From 2007 he has been the conductor of mixed choir „Grindex”.
In 2006 audio CD „Easy Folk Jazz” with Latvian folk songs arrangements by Rihards Rudzītis was published.
He has participated in many baroque opera projects, some theater shows and rock opera.
In 2008  he participiated  in the musicale „Les Miserables”.

 

JĀNIS UNGURS (1970)