State Choir Latvija

The State Choir LATVIJA is one of the most significant monuments of Latvian cultural life and history. The choir’s musical radiance is defined by the vocal culture and sound of the Latvian choral tradition, characterised by warmth, balance and precision. The State Choir LATVIJA is the largest professional choir in the Baltic States, and it is regularly in demand on the concert programmes of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors. Since 1997, the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the choir has been Māris Sirmais, while for the years 1997-2025 the choir’s General Manager has been Māris Ošlejs, followed by Sanda Katkeviča from November 2025.

The 60 members of the State Choir LATVIJA are renowned for their musical intelligence and vocal skill, making the choir a unique instrument capable of performing everything from subtle a cappella pieces to large vocal-symphonic masterworks.

The State Choir LATVIJA has collaborated with world-renowned orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian State Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

The choir has performed with outstanding conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Mariss Jansons, Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Zubin Mehta, Kent Nagano, Andris Nelsons, Tarmo Peltokoski, Kirill Petrenko, Simone Young, David Zinman and Jaap van Zweden.

One of the most significant achievements in the history of the choir was its collaboration with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and conductor Mariss Jansons in a world tour dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the orchestra.

The choir has performed on the stages of the world’s greatest concert halls, including the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Bavarian State Opera in Munich, KKL Luzern, Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the National Music Auditorium in Madrid, Lincoln Centre in New York and Shanghai Concert Hall.

The State Choir LATVIJA is internationally acclaimed both for its academic excellence as well as its innovative projects. The choir has participated in recordings produced by Naxos, Warner Brothers, Harmonia Mundi, Wergo and Ondine, as well as numerous recording projects by both Latvian and foreign music publishers.