In May 2026, Sinfonietta Rīga will perform the world premiere of a new work by Latvian composer Krists Auznieks titled ‘Endlessly Luminous Path’.

The concert marks the closing of the orchestra’s 20th anniversary season and the final performance of Normunds Šnē in his role as the orchestra’s founder and long-time artistic leader.

The 20th season closing concert marks a divide in the creative biography of Sinfonietta Rīga as Normunds Šnē picks up the conductor’s baton for one last time as the artistic director of the orchestra. In his mission to initiate the creation of new works as well as to perform the music of his contemporaries and Latvian composers, Šnē has been an artistic visionary. It is evidenced also by this very special programme with a premiere of a new work by Krists Auznieks – one of a dozen of prolific composers of the new generation of Latvian music. The culmination of the anniversary season is topped by Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, nicknamed ‘The Great’ – full of romantic passion, moving lyricism, and rousing joy. Not unexpectedly, Šnē has also chosen to add Pēteris Vasks’s Vox amoris – fantasy for violin and strings, singing praise to eternal love. The composer not only celebrates his anniversary this year but also is a very long-standing friend and colleague of the conductor and his chamber orchestra. Creative collaboration of many years also links the orchestra musicians, Šnē and Vasks with the guest soloist of the evening – expressive Belgian violinist Marc Bouchkov.

Program:

Krists Auznieks Endlessly Luminous Path

Pēteris Vasks Vox amoris, Fantasy for violin and strings (Marc Bouchkov, violin)

Franz Schubert  Symphony No. 9 in C major, D 944 (The Great)