Latvian Academy of Music

The Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music (VLMA), formerly Riga Conservatory, is the major higher learning music institution in Latvia. The junior institute is the Emils Darzins Music School.

History

The State Academy of Music was founded in 1919 by the Latvian composer Jāzeps Vītols, who also became the first director of the Latvian National Opera. He remained director till 1944, excepting 1935-1937 when the director was his choral assistant Pauls Jozuus.

Notable Teaching staff

Rectors include Alfrēds Kalniņš (1944–1948), Jēkabs Mediņš (1948–1950), Jānis Ozoliņš (1951–1977), Imants Kokars (1977–1990), Juris Karlsons (1990–2007) and currently Artis Sīmanis (2007-).

During the republic the State Conservatory had only one Jewish professor of music, Adolf Metz - head of the violin department^[1] Many Jewish students emigrated to Lithuania.

Notable Alumni

Misha Alexandrovich, cantor Volfgangs Darzins Sarah Feigin Elīna Garanča, mezzo soprano Inessa Galante, soprano

Jānis Ivanovs, composer Arvīds Jansons Oleg Kagan, violinist Gidon Kremer, violinist

Raimonds Pauls Uģis Prauliņš Aleksandrs Viļumanis, conductor Imants Zemzaris

References

1. ^ Bernhard Press The murder of the Jews in Latvia: 1941-1945 2000 p16

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