The Choir Kamēr...

The mixed choir "Kamēr..." was founded in 1990 on the initiative of conductor Māris Sirmais. The choir, which now consists of about seventy young singers, has been acknowledged as one of the most interesting choirs in Latvia and in Europe after 15 years of artistic activity. Since 1997, Ainārs Rubiķis has been working as the second conductor of the choir. Aina Bajāre and Ansis Sauka are the vocal coaches of the singers.

The choir has toured Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, the U.S.A. and Ireland. A busy concert schedule is an integral part of the choir’s life. “Kamēr…” have always participated in public life: singing at the President’s palace and at public occasions in Riga and other places in Latvia are some examples.

Choir “Kamēr...” is the Grand Prix of the last three All-Latvian Song Festivals as well as prizes from more than 60 international competitions – one can mention their victory at the Marktoberdorf chamber choir competition in Germany (1999), performing at Gidon Kremer’s Lockenhaus chamber music festival (2001, 2004, 2005) as well as first prizes at choral competitions in Spittal an der Drau (Austria, 1999, 2005), Suwalki – Hora Cantavi 2000 (Poland), Tolosa (Spain, 1996 and 2001), Tours (France, 2003), Gorizia (Italy, 1995 and 1996) and the choir’s most valued prize, the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (2004).

In July 2001, at the 20th anniversary of Lockenhaus chamber music festival, violinist Gidon Kremer and "Kremerata Baltica" performed together with “Kamēr...”. The choir’s performance received great acclaim in leading Austrian newspapers. It was the first time that a choir participated in this chamber music festival. “Kamēr...” received a number of invitations to perform together with Gidon Kremer in large European cities, and in March 2002 the plans came true: the choir performed in the Great Hall of the F.Liszt Budapest Conservatoire, in the Great Hall of Vienna Musical Society, in Bolzano concert hall, in Verdi Concert Hall in Milan, and at the “les musiques” music festival in Basle organized by Gidon Kremer. In July 2004, “Kamēr...” visited Lockenhaus for the second time. Together with KREMERata Baltica and the noted conductor and soloist Peter Schreier, they performed Bach’s St John Passion; besides, they gave a solo concert. The choir participated in the Lockenhaus festival in 2005 too.

In 2004, in the Italian Gorizia, “Kamēr...” and Māris Sirmais won the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, thus becoming the first Latvian choir to have won this award. The European Grand Prix for Choral Singing competition is organized by the six most prestigious international choral competitions: Arezzo (Italy), Gorizia (Italy), Tolosa (Spain), Tours (France), Varna (Bulgaria), and Debrecen (Hungary). The winners of these competitions are invited to participate in the competition for the title of Europe’s best choir of the year. “Kamēr...” had already twice been nominated and had participated in the Grand Prix competition (in 1996 and 2002); at last, the third time turned out successful.

Following the initiative of the President of Latvia Mrs Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, this year the choir mastered and performed musical cycle consisting of 8 Latvian contemporary composers' original music that contained texts from Latvian folk songs in respect of the sun. Many composers have written pieces particularly for the choir, including the famous Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks.

Alltogether the choir has recorded and delivered 8 music CDs, including records with the violinist Gidon Kremer and violincellist Marta Sudraba. CD delivered this year with Latvian national composers' music has been nominated to several categories of best records in Latvia.