The Riga Latvian Society’s chamber choir "Austrums"
Artistic leader and leading conductor Ārijs Šķepasts

The Riga Latvian Society’s chamber choir „Austrums” was founded in 1987, and since its beginnings the choir’s artistic leader has been Ārijs Šķepasts. Since 2005 the choir’s conductor is also the young and perspective student of the Jazeps Vitols’ Latvian Academy of Music Pēteris Vaickovskis. The regular singers of the choir are 35 people at the age from 16 till 45 years.

„Austrums” participates regularly in festivals and gives concerts in different Latvian towns, singing in churches, music schools and culture centres. The chamber choir includes in its concert programmes different style’s compositions, paying particular attention to the Baroque music, Latvian choir music’s classic, 20th century music and Latvian folk music arrangements. The choir’s singers choose the repertoire also themselves.

Ā.Šķepast’s emotionally expressive arrangements and original compositions have become the brand sign of the choir that often surprise the listeners with unusual expressive means – nature sounds and untraditional instruments. Several choir’s musical projects have become the annual traditions. Within the framework of Easter concert programmes, „Austrums” has developed several big forms for choir and double choir in cooperation with such choirs as „Sōla”, „Jumprava” (Maiden) and Jelgava St. Anna churce’s mixed choir. Each year in February the choir, together with Liepāja’s youth choir „Intis”, make common musically dramatic performance that is devoted to some Latvian poet’s love story. The concert cycle “Music in European Kingdoms” is very important event in the choir’s life that is well-known with its Baroque opera’s renditions and cooperation with outstanding Baroque musicians.

The choir „Austrums” is characteristic for the determination and seeking for challenges that are implemented by participating in prestigious international contests and festivals, where the choir has often received the highest evaluation.

Follow us in:
http://korisaustrums.lv/
http://twitter.com/#!/korisAustrums
http://www.draugiem.lv/austrums/

The most notable achievements:

• 2011
• 1st place in Ints Teterovskis’ choir group; devided 5th/6th place with Swedbank choir in mixed choirs’ evaluation
• 2009
• 3d place in II Emīls Dārziņš’ choir contest
• Participation in the 3d International choir festival in Badenbaden, Germany
• The recording of the 2nd CD
• 2008
• 2nd place in XXIV XXIV General Latvian Song and Dance Festival’s “Choir wars”
• 2007
• The public’s sympathy’s prize in the 44th International choir contest in Spittal an der Drau (Austria)
• 1st place in the 1st International choirs’ festival and contest ‘MUSIC INSPIRATION LANDSCAPE 2007’ in Riga
• 2nd place in the 16th International Stasis Šimkus choir contest in Klaipeda (Lithuania)
• 2006
• 2nd place and special prize for the best nowadays’ music performance in the 11th International choir festival and contest ‘Neuchâtel International Choral Festival 2006’ in Neuchâtel (Switzerland)
• 2005
• 1st degree’s diploma in the 4th International choir festival and contest ‘Москва – Город Мира’ (Moscow – City of the World) in Moscow (Russia)
• 1st place in Emīls Dārziņš’ International choir and composition’s contest in Riga
• 2004
• Grand Prix in the 5th International choir festival and contest ‘Sudraba zvani’ (Silver Bells) in Daugavpils (Latvia)
• Grand Prix and Golden prize in folk and sacred music programmes in the 3d International chamber choir contest ‘Tonen 2000’ in Monster (Holland)
• 2003
• 2nd place in the XXIII General Latvian Song festival’s “choir wars”
• 2001
• The recording of the CD
• 2000
• Grand Prix in the 1st International choir festival and contest ‘Vivace 2000’ in Vesprem (Hungary)

Contacts: Ārijs Šķepasts – phone + 371 29137361, e-mail: arijsskepasts@gmail.com