Jēkabs Jančevskis

Composer and conductor Jēkabs Jančevskis (1992) started to create music at the age of 14 and since then has become one of the most sought-after Latvian composers of his generation. In his music, Jančevskis illustrates light, spiritual, and philosophic contemplation, but to execute the dramaturgical ideas, saturated emotional expressions also appear.

Laureate of Latvia’s annual theatre award “Players’ Night” 2023 in the category Best Musial composition of the Year, laureate of Latvian Grand Music Award 2021 in the category Composer of the Year. In 2019, he won the grand prize in the International Competition for composers ROSTRUM (in the age group up to 30 years).

A signiWicant part of Jēkabs Jančevskis’ creative work is dedicated to choir music and compositions including a choir. He has collaborated several times with the most significant Latvian choirs: State Choir Latvija, Ave Sol, Latvian Radio Choir, as well as with mixed choirs such as Jā zeps Vıt̄ ols Latvian Academy of Music, the Latvian Academy of Culture and Riga Cathedral Choir School. On the international scene, his choir music has been performed by Berliner Singakademie, Rundfunkchor Berlin, and Chór NFM (Poland).

In 2020, with Riga Cathedral Choir School’s mixed choir and conductor Jurg̒is Cābulis, he recorded his first original music album, Aeternum (Hyperion Records, Great Britain). The prestigious British magazine Gramophone has positively reviewed this CD.

This year Jēkabs Jančevskis’ compositions will be performed in many concerts of the XXVII Nationwide Song Festival in Latvia.

The symphonic pieces of Jēkabs Jančevskis have been performed by Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Kremerata Baltica, Liepā ja Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra RIGA; the composer has also collaborated with important figures of the Latvian and world’s music scene, such as singer Elın̄a Garanča, maestro Raimonds Pauls, cellist Kristaps Bergs, organist Kristın̄e Adamaite,saxophonists Artis Sım̄anis, Ilze Lejin̦a, kokleplayer Ansis Jansons, among others. A contemporary ensemble from Sweden, Norrbotten Neo, has also commissioned Jančevskis to compose music for them.

Another important Wield of the composer’s creative work is theatre and movie scores. Jančevskis has created music for the Latvian National Theatre’s plays Lauva ziemā (The Lion in Winter, director Juris Jonelis, 2012) and Klavigo (Clavigo, director Volker Schmidt, 2016). In 2023, the composer’s music is heard in the Dailes Theatre’s play Brand (director Viesturs Kairišs). Jančevskis is also the music author for the documentary without narrated text Dubļi (Mud, 2010), produced by Dainis Kla̦va. Currently, Jančevskis is creating a score for the movie ‘Zeme, kas dzied’ (In the Land that Sings).

Jēkabs Jančevskis started studying composition at the age of 14 – his first teacher was Ilze Arne, followed by Pauls Dambis and Eriks Ešenvalds in his secondary school years (while at the same time studying choir conducting at the Riga Cathedral Choir School). In 2012 he enrolled in the composition class of Selga Mence at Jāzeps Vıt̄ols Latvian Academy of Music.

In addition to Jančevskis’ creative work as a composer, he is also a composition teacher at the Riga Cathedral Choir School and conductor of the choir Anima Mea. Before that, he was the conductor of one of the best-known amateur choirs in Latvia, Sō la.