Janis Apeinis, Eva Bindere and Reinis Zarins nominated for Artist of the Year award

RIGA - Singer Janis Apeinis, violinist Eva Bindere and pianist Reinis Zarins have been nominated for the Artist of the Year award, which will be presented during the Grand Music Award ceremony at the Latvian National Opera on March 7.

Conductor Edgars Racevskis and cellist Ellionora Testeleca will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Cellist Kristaps Bergs, pianist Daumants Liepins, and singer Laura Teivane have been nominated for the New Artist of the Year award.

The nominees for the Concert of the Year award are the percussion quartet Perpetuum Ritmio's concert "Wax and Light", opening concert for the spring festival Windstream, and Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) and State Choir Latvija's concert marking the 90th anniversary of the LNSO.

In the category Performance of the Year, the candidates for the award are Eriks Esenvalds' opera "The Immured", choral opera "Neoarctic", and Aiks Karapetjans' staging of Faust.

Vying for the Composition of the Year award are Juris Karlsons' Concerto for Cello, Piano, Percussion and Orchestra, Kristaps Petersons' symphony "Sleep", and Marina Gribincika's "The Games of Time".

Latvian National Opera Choir, Latvian Radio Big Band, and vocal ensemble Schola Cantorum Riga have been nominated for the Outstanding Achievement Award.

The Grand Music Award is the highest honor in Latvian music, it was established in 1993 following an initiative by the then Minister of Culture Raimonds Pauls. The Grand Music Award ceremony is organized by the Culture Ministry and Latvijas Koncerti agency.