In creating this concert program, Gunta Gelgote has combined the foundation of each musician’s creative journey, works by music grands Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven, and works by composers related to her heritage revealing the singer’s connection to Latvia and Lithuania.

‘Along with the classical value that is the instrumental chamber music of Haydn and Beethoven, the concert will also be an opportunity to hear their lesser known, yet absolutely wonderful and brilliant pieces for vocals and piano. In addition, I wanted to include the works of personally significant composers of the Baltic states,’ reveals Gunta Gelgote.

From Latvian composers, the Latvian folk song ‘Vakarā(i) bāliņš gāja’ will be played in the concert, which is arranged for voice, flute, cello and piano by musical teacher and composer Līga Celma-Kursiete and dedicated to Gunta Gelgote for the graduation of Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. The listeners will encounter quite unusual, mythological characters in ‘Gaismojumi’ by the contemporary Latvian composer Mārtiņš Viļums, in which we will hear the themes of metamorphosis and time in the sound of flute and soprano.

On the other hand, Lithuanian contemporary compositions will be represented by classicist Algirdas Maritnaitis. His composition ‘Kelias ir keleivis’, performed by all the musicians together, will be a dreamy and soulful conclusion to the entire program.

Gunta Gelgote, soprano

Giedrius Gelgotas, flute

Ēriks Kiršfelds, cello

Herta Hansena, piano

The program features work by:

Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Algirdas Martinaitis, Mārtiņš Viļums and Līga Celma-Kursiete.

Gunta Gelgote has studied vocals at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. The singer is a regular performer at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Vilnius City Opera led by Gintaras Rinkevičius, as well as the Latvian National Opera and Ballet. As a solo artist, she has performed with various orchestras, and, in chamber music, collaborated with Kristīne Adamaite and Artis Sīmanis, Herta Hansena, Aldis Liepiņš, Ēriks Kiršfels, Aija Kuzmane. Gelgote often participates in performances of contemporary music and has been dedicated several contemporary opuses. In 2009, she received the Grand Music Award in the category Debut of the Year.

Giedrius Gelgotas is a flautist at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre Orchestra. Alongside his work at the orchestra, he often performs solo and with his quintet, the St. Christopher Quintet, as well as the Lithuanian Flute Quartet, the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra, and various other chamber music groups. Giedrius Gelgotas is also a member of the British Flute Society. He has been successful at several international competitions in Europe, including 1st prize at the Henri Tomasi International Woodwind Quintet Competition with the St. Christopher Quintet.

Ēriks Kiršfelds is the accompanist of the cello group of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, long-standing accompanist of the Kremerata Baltica cello group since its founding. He is a regular performer with the Sinfonietta Amsterdam. Teacher at the Latvian Academy of Music. Kiršfelds received the Grand Music Award in 2009 for notable work in an ensemble. He performs both as a solo artist and as a member of various chamber ensembles, including the Spīķeru String Quartet, and has participated in various recordings of the Latvian Radio. Under the record label Wergo, the Spīķeru String Quartet have recorded all of Pēteris Vasks’ string quartets in two critically acclaimed albums.

Herta Hansena is an active pianist, participant of various chamber music projects, and associate professor at the Academy of Music. She has collaborated with singers Ieva Parša, Elīna Šimkus, Rihards Millers, Armands Siliņš. Among her loyal collaborators are also violinist Sandis Šteinbergs, violist Andra Dārziņa, and cellist Ēriks Kiršfelds. Hansena has also performed together with Inga Sunepa, Andris Pauls, Maksims Novikovs, the Sinfonietta Rīga Wind Quintet, the Rīga Saxophone Quartet, and many others. The artist has participated in the premieres of original work by Santa Ratniece, Mārīte Dombrovska, Pauls Dambis, and Ruta Paidere. In 2013, Herta Hansena received the Grand Music Award for notable work in an ensemble. 

Fall/winter season concerts of the series Personally 2022:

25.09. | SUNDAY | 15.00 RECITAL OF ARTURS MASKATS’ MUSIC

16.10. | SUNDAY | 15.00 PIANO MUSIC FROM NORTH AMERICA. MADE IN CALIFORNIA

20.11. | SUNDAY | 15.00 ARSEN PETROSYAN. ARMENIAN DUDUK MASTER

11.12. | SUNDAY | 15.00 GUNTA GELGOTE. VIENNESE CLASSICISTS AND THE BALTICS