CONFERENCEMixed choir JUVENTUS of University of Latvia is the oldest university choir in Latvia. Since its foundation in 1920, it has consistently been one of the strongest and most recognized amateur choirs in Latvia. Over time, it has been conducted by such notable Latvian conductors as Haralds Mednis, Daumants Gailis and Juris Kļaviņš. Since 2014, Valdis Tomsons has been the Artistic Director of mixed choir JUVENTUS.
Under his leadership, JUVENTUS has earned numerous awards in both national and international competitions. In 2025, the choir triumphed at the Tampere Vocal Music Festival in Finland, winning the Gold Diploma and the Grand Prix—a distinction that had not been awarded to any choir at the festival in the past ten years. In 2024, the choir took 3rd place at the 7th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition (an EGP stage) in Jūrmala, and was a finalist in the EBU “Let the Peoples Sing” competition. In 2023, JUVENTUS won 1st prize in the Choir Wars competition at the XXVII Latvian Song and XVII Dance Festival, and placed 5th at the 17th International Choir Competition Gallus – Maribor in Slovenia.
Earlier, in 2019, JUVENTUS performed as a special guest at the International Choral Symposium and Festival on Jeju Island, South Korea—an invitation extended by maestro Jea Joon Lee following the choir’s outstanding performance at Mundus Cantat 2018 in Sopot, Poland, where it had won both the Grand Prix and 1st place in the mixed choir category. In 2017, JUVENTUS also claimed the Grand Prix and 1st prize in the mixed choir category at the 53rd International Choral Festival in Montreux, Switzerland.
The key aspect of the identity of JUVENTUS is preservation of traditions while constantly moving forward, and it is reflected in the variety of concert programs. The choir performs a cappella repertoires spanning Latvian, Ukrainian, Latin, German, and other musical traditions, as well as large-scale projects featuring instrumentalists and even DJs.
A long-standing tradition of the choir is the annual performance of works in the Mass genre. In recent years, JUVENTUS has presented Rheinberger’s Mass in E-flat Major for double choir, Kaspars Zemītis’ Mass for choir and guitar, Uģis Prauliņš’ Missa Rigensis, Rihards Dubra’s Te Deum, Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass, and Frank Martin’s Mass for Double Choir.
JUVENTUS actively collaborates with artists across genres—from classical to popular music—including the group Dagamba, DJ Rudd, singer Dons, the State Choir Latvia, the Riga Wind Orchestra, and many others. The choir has performed on Latvia’s biggest stages, not only in academic concerts but also in major popular music festivals, and has represented Latvian choral traditions abroad.
In 2020, JUVENTUS celebrated its 100th anniversary. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the choir created a new chapter titled “A New Beginning”, symbolizing resilience and hope for the future. As part of the centenary celebrations, 13 distinguished Latvian composers dedicated new works to the choir. In 2022, twelve of these premieres were performed in concert and released as the album “Jauns sākums” (A New Beginning) on major streaming platforms. The centenary cycle concluded on October 21, 2023, with the concert “Kopība” (Togetherness), featuring Kaspars Zemītis’ Mass for choir and guitar, as well as the premiere of Rihards Zaļupe’s specially commissioned work Kopība, performed together with 17 instrumentalists and 5 soloists.
“If I have to describe the mixed choir JUVENTUS in three words - youth, quality, and strength. As the oldest student choir in Latvia, it embodies a rich tradition. However, we are not confined to the past; we exist in the present, and more significantly, we envision ourselves in the future."
- Valdis Tomsons, Artistic Director of mixed choir JUVENTUS.
LISTEN TO MIXED CHOIR JUVENTUS:
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Artistic Director
