Daumants Kalniņš & Ventspils Big Band

Performers
Daumants Kalniņš
Ventspils Big Band (artistic director – Renārs Lācis)

During the author evening of singer and songwriter Daumants Kalniņš, you will be able to hear his original works as well as beloved songs in English and Latvian. The pieces have been arranged and adapted for a big band with vocals.

Daumants Kalniņš (1990) began his career as a solo singer when he was nine years old, playing the role of the genius in the production of Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute” at the Latvian National Opera. In the following years, Daumants also sang in other opera productions. Daumants Kalniņš studied at the Riga Cathedral Choir School and was a soloist in the Riga Cathedral Boys Choir. His descant voice can be heard on the CD "Klausies, spulgacīt". After his voice break, Daumants Kalniņš was the soloist in such productions as Bernstein's "West Side Story", Schoenberg's "Les Miserables", Jānis Ķiršs's "Klase" and "Futbols uz podestiem". Daumants studied oboe and jazz singing at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, leads a jazz quintet, composes jazz ballads, performs with the guitarist Kaspars Zemītis, Orchestra "Rīga", Jelgava Big Band, Ventspils Big Band, has collaborated with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Latvian Radio Choir, the composer Raimonds Pauls, etc.

Daumants Kalniņš has received the “Spēlmaņu nakts” award in the category “Debute of the Year in performance art” for his role in the National Theatre production of Zigmars Liepiņš's melodrama “Parīzes Dievmātes katedrāle”. He was also nominated for the The Latvian Grand Music Award 2012 in the category “Debute of the Year," where he received the Audience Choice Award. Daumants has won multiple jazz vocal competitions and the Grand Prix at the Riga Jazz Stage in 2015.

Managed by the saxophonist, producer, and music teacher Renārs Lācis, Ventspils Big Band has operated since 2010. The concert lineup is composed of students and teachers of the Ventspils Secondary School of Music, who fearlessly take on new challenges and gladly play not only well-known and liked music from around the world but also music made by Latvian composers and contemporary original pieces.

Organised by SIA "Kurzemes filharmonija", and funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Ventspils State City Municipality.

 Please be informed that during public events, photography and/or video filming will be carried out to ensure openness of information and publicity. Photos and videos may be posted on the website and social media accounts of concert hall “LATVIJA”.