Juris ĀZERS, percussion

Guntars FREIBERGS, percussion

Daumants LIEPIŅŠ, piano

Reinis ZARIŅŠ, piano

Hugo TICCIATI, violin (Sweden)

Sinfonietta Rīga Chamber Orchestra

Conductor Normunds ŠNĒ

Programme: Anna Ignatowicz, Fazıl Say, Igor Stravinsky, Dobrinka Tabakova

The percussion duo of Guntars Freibergs and Juris Āzers have been the resident artists of Cēsis Concert Hall since 2024, during which time they have treated concertgoers to several original programmes, surprising the audiences and music professionals with their choice of musical pieces, some world premieres and visual solutions. Variations for Percussion, Pianos, Violin and Orchestra will mark the end of the Cēsis residency of the two outstanding Latvian percussionists.

‘For the last concert of our residency, we wanted to create a festive mood by making the programme rich and diverse in our choice of musical pieces, soloists and collaboration partners alike. The wonderful musicians of Sinfonietta Rīga, our ‘stage friends’ who joined us as we opened the residency series of concerts a year and half ago; two great Latvian piano players, Daumants Liepiņš and Reinis Zariņš; as well as the internationally acclaimed violin maestro Hugo Ticciati: this is the lineup for the festive concert concluding our residency. And we will all come together playing uplifting music that fits the celebratory mood perfectly,’ says Guntars Freibergs.

Part One of the concert opens with Passacaglia, a pensive piece for percussion by the Polish composer Anna Ignatowicz. Emotions will gradually heighten with Variations for Two Pianos and Percussion by the legendary Turkish composer Fazıl Say. Part One will conclude with Igor Stravinsky’s effervescent Concerto in D Major performed by the Sinfonietta Rīga Orchestra.

Part Two of the concert will be fully dedicated to the music of the famous contemporary composer Dobrinka Tabakova, who frequently uses a wide range of percussion instruments in her music. This will be the Latvian premiere of Patience of Trees, her Concerto for Violin, Strings and Percussion, with Hugo Ticciati playing the violin solo. The concert will conclude with Dobrinka Tabakova’s Together Remember to Dance, her sweeping Double Concerto for Paino and Percussion.