On October 21 at 4:00 p.m., the concert hall “Latvija” will host an author’s evening by Daumants Kalniņš, where the singer will perform his songs together with the Ventspils Big Band. The compositions were arranged and adapted especially for the big band with vocals by Ritvars Garoza.
The concert will feature songs written by Daumants Kalniņš in Latvian and English, creating a special selection from previously released albums - Part of me (2016), Sirdsprieks (2017) and Drošinājums (2022). Daumants says about the creative process: “I write music only when I have inspiration. These are moments, some kind of feelings that I try to capture.” The author of the lyrics is Daumants Kalniņš, but for the songs from the last album, the composer has chosen the poetry of Knuts Skujenieks. “Deep meaning, brightness, and the poet's personal touch permeate Skujenieks' poetry and inspired me to create music that coexists with it, one that does not overshadow the written word, but opens up another dimension through the language of music,” Daumants adds, continuing: “The meaning of his written word will always be relevant again, searching for that one kind, humane, and unbreakable voice in spirit within yourself and others.”
Ventspils Big Band artistic director Renārs Lācis admits that he is thrilled that after so many years of playing together, the Ventspils Big Band has the opportunity to perform a program with the composer's songs together with Daumants Kalniņš. "Of course, many people know Daumants from his collaboration with Raimonds Pauls, but his own compositions are also valuable - they have a rhythmic, harmonious and rich musical language. And the added value - including the Latvian language in jazz music - is especially noteworthy. It is important that new songs are created in which the Latvian language is played together with quality music."
Daumants Kalniņš (1990) began his solo singing career at the age of nine with the role of the genius in a production of Mozart's opera “The Magic Flute” at the Latvian National Opera. In the following years, Daumants has also sung in other opera performances. Having completed his studies at the Riga Cathedral Boys' Choir and the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, where he learned to play the oboe and sing jazz, Daumants leads a jazz quintet and composes jazz ballads, performs with guitarist Kaspars Zemītis, the Riga Orchestra, the Jelgava Big Band, the Ventspils Big Band, and has collaborated with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, the Latvian Radio Choir, Raimonds Pauls, etc.
Daumants Kalniņš received the “Spelmaņu nakts” award in the category “Debut of the Year in Performing Arts” for the role of Quasimodo in the production of melodrama “Notre Dame Cathedral” by Zigmārs Liepiņš at the National Theatre, and was also nominated for the 2012 Grand Music Award in the category “Debut of the Year”, winning the audience award. Laureate of several jazz vocal competitions, Grand Prix winner of the “Riga Jazz Stage 2015” competition. Daumants proves himself as a strong singer, who is able to equally brilliantly demonstrate his abilities in theatre, academic music, and complex jazz repertoire.
The concert is organized by SIA “Kurzemes filharmonija” (Ltd.), the event is financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Ventspils City Municipality. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket sales website “Biļešu paradīze”, as well as at the box offices of the concert hall “Latvija” and the theater house “Jūras vārti”.
Photography and video recording may take place at the event. The obtained materials will be used for publicity purposes of the event, on the website of the concert hall “Latvija” and on social media accounts.
Concert hall “Latvija” on the Internet:
www.facebook.com/latvijahall
www.koncertzalelatvija.lv
www.instagram.lv/latvijahall
Contact:
Maruta Eistere
Marketing Specialist
SIA “Kurzemes filharmonija”
tel.: +371 20310469
e-mail: maruta.eistere@ventspils.lv
(Translated with the help of DeepL Translate)
