The Professional Symphonic Band "Riga" will celebrated its 40th anniversary in September, 2012. It is at an age when youthfulness is in its late stage, the formative years have come to an end, and experience has accumulated in the approach to maturity.

Looking back on the past years, some interesting facts come to the surface: between the 1960's and 1970's, not only was the first Latvian non-military symphonic band "Riga" founded (1972); the Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra (1967) and the chamber choir "Ave Sol" (1969) were also established, all of which greatly enriched the creative musical life of Latvia. The Professional Symphonic Band "Riga's" founding is unmistakeably connected with its long-term chief conductor and artistic director Gunars Ordelovkis. From 1991 till 2007 the artistic director was Janis Purins.

    From 2007 till 2010 the Artistic Director of the Professional Symphonic Band "Riga" was the young and talanted conductor Andris Poga who is the First Prize winner at the Second International Yevgeny Svetlanov Conductors Competition 2010.

    The Professional Symphonic Band "Riga" is institution of the Department of Culture of the Riga City Council, and as such it performs at all of the major festivals and celebrations of the city of Riga and of Latvia, including such traditional feasts as Easter, Christmas, and others. The ensemble has always sought to widen its "playing field" and to break those stereotypes associated with wind bands that would dictate when, where, and what such bands ought to perform. An essential part of this ensemble's activity is its many concert performances in the Great Guild Hall and the University of Latvia's Assembly Hall, where the inhabitants of Riga and her guests are always sincerely welcome!

         

Orchestra's  webs: draugiem.lv  and  facebook.com

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Mārtiņš Ozoliņš

MĀRTIŅŠ OZOLIŅŠ is Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the RIGA Professional Symphonic Band since 2011. 

He is graduated from the Latvian Academy of Music, chorus conducting class of Prof.Edgars Račevskis in 1998 and the symphony orchestra conducting class of Prof.Imants Resnis in 2003. The conductor has taken masterclasses with Helmut Rilling at the Bach Academy in Germany, Gintaras Rinkevicius in Lithuania and Vassily Sinaisky Saint Petersburg. Since 2005 Mārtiņš Ozoliņš is the conductor of the Latvian National Opera. He has collaborated with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, has toured Germany and with the Latvian National Opera to Moscow, Mexico, Tamper (Finland), Trieste (Italy), Catania (Sicily). 

In 2009 Mārtiņš Ozoliņš won the second prize in Jorma Panula Conducting Competition in Finland. Since 2011 he is Head of the Department of Orchestra Conducting at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music.

   Conductor Raitis Ašmanis

 

RAITIS AŠMANIS is conductor of the RIGA Professional Symphonic Band since 2009. 
His concert programs - RIGA JAZZ 2010, Amor a la Mexicana, American Coctail -  are focused to jazz, latin and popular  music.

Musicians

Flutes

Oboes

Clarinets

Saxophones

Bassoons

French Horns

Trumpets

Cornets

Trombones

Euphoniums

Tubas

Percussions

Double Bass

Staff

• Managing DirectorIlona Brege

•     Inspector Lauris Zvejnieks

•     Librarian Arnis Eizenbergs

•     Manager of Marketing Ilze Mikelsone

•     Secretary Linda Guza

•     Costumier Inga Jekabsone