"Riga Classic Strings" • International Cello and Violin Competition and Festival

Artists

Guy Braunstein violinist

Violinist Guy Braunstein was born in Tel Aviv and studied under the guidance of Chaim Taub and later in New York with Glenn Dicterow and Pinchas Zuckerman. He started performing as an international soloist and a chamber musician at a young age and has since performed with many of the world’s greatest orchestras and conductors. His chamber music collaborations have included projects with Issac Stern, András Schiff, Zubin Mehta, Maurizio Pollini, Yefim Bronfman, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Simon Rattle, Mitsuko Uchida and Angelika Kirschlager to name a few.

Freddy Kempf pianist

Freddy Kempf is one of today’s most successful pianists performing to sell-out audiences all over the world. Exceptionally gifted with an unusually broad repertoire, Freddy has built a unique reputation as an explosive and physical performer who is not afraid to take risks as well as a serious, sensitive and profoundly musical artist.

Karen Shahgaldyan violinist

Karen Shahgaldyan is one of the most brilliant musicians of modern Russia. Laureat of Pablo Sarasate International Competition. He finished the Moscow State Conservatory at the class of Professor Victor Tretiakov and the Graduate School of the Moscow State Conservatory into the class of Professor M. Glezarova. Karen attended master-classes of Yehudi Menuhin, Vladimir Spivakov, Grigorii Zhislin, Evgeniia Chugaeva. Several years Karen performed in the orchestra "Virtuosos of Moscow" under the direction of Vladimir Spivakov. He performed at such halls as Carnegie Hall, New York, Bolshoy Hall, Moscow, Royal Festival Hall, London, Musikverein, Wien, Laeizhalle, Hamburg, Purcell Room, London, Suntory Hall, Tokyo and others. He visited with concerts more than 200 cities in such countries, as USA, China, South Korea, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Austria, Australia, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lietuva, Czech Republic, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Armenia. From 2006 violinist of Khachaturian trio.

The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra

The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) is one of the valuable assets of the classical music scene in Latvia. It is a team of highly professional musicians with strong traditions, generous sound and devoted performance. The LNSO mainly focuses on 19th and 20th century orchestral masterpieces, classical and contemporary works of Latvian composers and occasionally concert performances of operas or musicals. The LNSO pays great attention to educational children and youth programmes. For several years, it has successfully performed a series of chamber music programmes, and since 2015 it celebrates the end of the summer in a new festival LNSO vasarnīca (The LNSO Holiday House).