In Summer 2021 a part of the Riga Jurmala Music Festival’s agenda continuing the Festival’s academic development work was in-person masterclasses that were organised in partnership with the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music.
The masterclasses featured young, talented musicians from the Baltic countries and were led by pianist András Schiff, cellist Mischa Maisky, soprano Renée Fleming, and pianists Leif Ove Andsnes and Yefim Bronfman.
Now, all video materials lasting approximately 30-45 minutes for a masterclass are publicly available on the Riga Jurmala Academy’s website HERE or on the Festival’s Youtube channel.
“Atskatoties uz šo vasaru, ir liels prieks un gandarījums, ka varējām šāda līmeņa meistarklases noorganizēt tepat Rīgā. Tā bija patiesi vērtīga un nozīmīga pieredze studentiem ne vien tāpēc, ka šie bija pirmie šāda veida izglītības pasākumi, kuri varēja notikt klātienē pēc ilgākas pauzes pandēmijas dēļ, bet arī tāpēc, ka strādāt individuālā nodarbībā ar šāda līmeņa pasaules māksliniekiem ir reta iespēja,”
“Summer masterclasses which we managed to organize here in Riga was a truly valuable and rewarding experience for the students not only because these were almost the first such live events organised after a longer break due to pandemic, but especially because of the greatness of these artists, whom these young people were able to meet and work with – here in the Latvian Academy of Music,” says Toms Ostrovskis, Head of the Performing Arts Department, Associate Professor of the Piano Department at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and Head of the Riga Jurmala Academy.
In addition, over the course of the Festival’s season, 104 students from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia took part in the Riga Jurmala Academy’s online masterclasses.
“For young artists who, we hope, will soon be performing on the stage of this and other festivals, masterclasses by world-famous artists are a unique opportunity. It is also a chance for festival attendees who can take part in these public masterclasses and watch the established soloists’ dialogues with young talents. I am very proud that we have been able to implement this significant initiative,” Martin T: son Engstroem, Artistic Director of Riga Jurmala Music Festival.
The new season of the Riga Jurmala Music Festival and the academy programme are planned to be announced in the end of 2021.
