Kamermūzikas koncertu un sarunu cikla COME PRIMA 10. programma | Klavieru kvartets RIX

This time, Program 10 of the chamber concert and talks cycle COME PRIMA features the RIX Piano Quartet – a band of four friends and like-minders, Latvian musicians living in different parts of the world and enjoying genuine respect in the professional musical society. The concert program is going to consist of musical compositions by A. Dvořák, S. Mences, C. Saint-Saëns, T. Ķeniņš, J. Brahms. The concert will be hosted by Signe Lagzdiņa, a musical expert hosting the "Classics" radio show on Latvijas Radio 3, who will also share some lore of the compositions in the process.

The name of the RIX Piano Quartet is an allusion to the international code of the Riga Airport. The quartet celebrated its 25th anniversary along with the centennial of Latvia, as the musicians met first met each other back in 1993, in Professor Jānis Maļeckis's chamber ensemble class at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. Nowadays, these four musicians are famous artists performing with European orchestras; however, each year they meet in Riga to develop, play and record new concert programs. Composer Arturs Maskats refers to RIX Piano Quartet as an outstanding and tremendous musical band. Their intelligent style of music making, the structure of their work and the refinement of their performance reveal serious maturity, along with ease of mutual understanding and a hint of vehemence and humour. As violist Ilze Kļava tends to say, half in earnest, half in jest, having acquired their own public, musicians grow dependent on it, and become eager to do their best every time they meet. The ensemble's repertory includes music pieces composed just for them, as well as world-class classical quartets, trios and sonatas.

The quartet gave concert in the United States, Czech Republic, Ireland and the Scandinavian countries. Prior to that, RIX Piano Quartet performed at multiple festivals (RojaL, Sanssouci, Cēsis Arts Festival, Kuldīga City Festival), as well as at separate, but regular concerts ("In the Christmas Candle Light", concerts at the Oleru Estate, etc.). In 2016, the RIX quartet participated in Pēteris Vasks's Concert Portrait, which took place within the boundaries of the Phillips Collection concert series in Washington, USA. RIX Piano Quartet made a number of records, including Oliver Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time (1999), Pēteris Vasks's and Tālivaldis Ķeniņš's piano quartets (2003), as well as an album comprised of compositions by Richard Strauss, Johannes Brahms and Camille Saint-Saëns (2008). Twice (in 2004 and 2011), the chamber ensemble won the Grand Music Award, Latvia's top award in the music industry, awarded as recognition of its excellent artistic talent.

The concert is going to feature:
Jānis Maļeckis (piano)
Sandis Šteinbergs (violin)
Ilze Kļava (alto)
Reinis Birznieks (violoncello)

 
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