Zigmars Liepiņš (born 14 October 1952 in

Liepāja Liepāja () (formerly: Libau) is a Administrative divisions of Latvia, state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest city in the Courland region and the third-largest in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an ...

Latvian SSR The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Also known as the Latvian SSR, or Latvia) was a Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republic of the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1941, and then from 1944 until 1990. The Soviet occupation of the Bal ...

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

(now:

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

) is a Latvian

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

, keyboard player and the chairman of the board for the

Latvian National Opera The Latvian National Opera and Ballet (LNOB) is an opera house and opera company at Aspazijas boulevard 3 in Riga. Its repertoire includes performances of opera and ballet presented during the season which lasts from mid-September to the end of ...

. Liepiņš has written songs for choirs, solo artists, orchestras, films, theatres, and operas.

Early life and education

Zigmars Liepiņš was born in a family of musicians in

on 14 October 1952. His father Jānis Liepiņš was a violinist and the first person in Liepāja to learn how to play an electric guitar, he also had an important role in the foundation of Liepāja rock. His mother Lidija had a diploma is singing. The first opera Liepiņs saw was Pyotr Tchaikovsky's '' The Queen of Spades'' in

Liepāja Theatre Liepāja Theatre () is a theatre in Liepāja, Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to t ...

in early childhood. In 1971 he graduated from Liepāja Music Secondary School (now

Liepāja Music, Art and Design Secondary School) Liepāja () (formerly: Libau) is a Administrative divisions of Latvia, state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest city in the Courland region and the third-largest in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an ...

and from Latvian State Conservatoire in 1976 (now –

Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music (), formerly the Riga Conservatory, is a higher music conservatory in Riga, Latvia. The junior institute is the Emīls Dārziņš Music School. History The Latvian Conservatory of Music was founded in ...

Career

At the age of seventeen, he started composing and joined Liepāja band ''Santa'' which he left a year later. In 1970 band Santa took part in the festival '' Liepājas Dzintars'' where Liepiņš received an award for the best folk song arrangement. Liepiņš was a keyboard player and songwriter for band ''Modo'' (1973 – 1976 and 1977–1982), and also their manager (1978–1982). While in the

Soviet Army The Soviet Ground Forces () was the land warfare service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1946 to 1992. It was preceded by the Red Army. After the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, the Ground Forces remained under th ...

(1976–1978) Liepiņš was in band '' Zvaigznīte''. Upon returning from the army, Liepiņš re-joined ''Modo''. In 1982 ''Modo'' changed their name to ''

Opus Opus (: opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera ...

'' and under Liepiņš' management existed until 1989. In the 1980s, Liepiņš became popular with numerous hits of the time (''Vēl ir laiks, Viss kārtībā, Ceļojums, Dziesma par rozīti, Sentiments)''. In 1983 Liepiņš wrote the soundtrack for the film Vajadzīga soliste (Soloist Needed) where he also played himself. It was his debut in cinema music.

Other work

1989–1992 Liepiņš was the director of ''Showimpex,'' a concert agency, 1991–1995 – the director of a recording company ''L&M.'' 1992–2007 Liepiņš was the president and shareholder of Radio SWH. Since 2013 he has been the chairman of the board for the

Personal life

Liepiņš has two children with a Latvian singer, producer, film director and entrepreneur

Mirdza Zīvere Mirdza Zīvere (born 20 September 1953) is a Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to th ...

– Zane Kursīte and Jānis Liepiņš. Liepins' son Jānis Liepiņš is a conductor in the

Works

Music for choirs and solo artists

* 2000: song cycle ''Teika'' for a mixed choir and soloist * 2001: ''Tēvzemei un Brīvība'' for a symphonic orchestra, mixed choir and soloist * 2007: ''Dziedot dzimu, dziedot augu''

Film scores

* 1984: '' Vajadzīga soliste'' * 1987'': Sēd uz sliekšņa pasaciņa'' * 1988: '' Skaitāmpanti'' * 1990'':

Ness un Nesija Ness or NESS may refer to: Places Australia * Ness, Wapengo, a heritage-listed natural coastal area in New South Wales United Kingdom * Ness, Cheshire, England, a village * Ness, Lewis, the most northerly area on Lewis, Scotland, UK * Cuspate ...

Music for theatre

* 1976: ''Spartaks'' (Latvian National Theatre) * 1977: ''Emīls un Berlīnes zēni'' (Latvian National Theatre) * 1979: ''Iedomu spoguļi'' (Latvian National Opera) * 1979: ''Žanna D’Arka'' * 1981: ''Iela'' '' ''(Latvian National Theatre) * 1985: ''Punktiņa un Antons'' (Liepāja Theatre) * 1985: ''Atvadu izrāde'' (Valmiera Theatre) * 1986: ''Ķiršu dārzs'' (Valmiera Theatre) * 1987: ''Mirabo'' (Latvian National Theatre) * 1987: ''Momo'' * 1992: ''Suns'' '' ''(Latvian National Theatre) * 1993: ''Jēzus'' '' ''(Latvian National Theatre) * 1995: ''Svešinieki šeit ''(Latvian National Theatre) * 1996: ''Trešais vārds ''(Latvian National Theatre) * 1996: ''Trīs musketieri ''(Latvian National Theatre) * 1996: ''Trīs draugi'' * 1998: Solis laika * 2007: musical drama ''Adata'' (Latvian National Theatre)

Opera

* 1988:

rock opera A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...

Lāčplēsis ''Lāčplēsis'' ("The Bear-Slayer") is an epic poem by Andrejs Pumpurs, a Latvian poet, who wrote it between 1872 and 1887 based on local legends. It is set during the Livonian Crusades telling the story of the mythical hero Lāčplēsis "th ...

* 1997: opera ''Parīzes Dievmātes katedrāle'' (Latvian National Opera) * 2000: opera ''No Rozes un asinīm'' (Latvian National Opera)

Other

* 1975: Instrumental cycle ''Diennakts'' * 1985: Instrumental music ''Pulss 2'' * 1994: ''Vakara mūzika'' * 1996: Music for the firework display in Ventspils * 2008: ''Kapteiņa stāsti'' * 2012:

Concerto A concerto (; plural ''concertos'', or ''concerti'' from the Italian plural) is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The ...

for a violin and orchestra * 2014: ''Transcendental Oratorio''

Awards and nominations

In 1997 Liepiņš received the Latvian Music Award for the opera ''Parīzes Dievmātes katedrāle (Notre-Dame de Paris)''. In 2002 Liepiņš was awarded the

Order of the Three Stars Order of the Three Stars () is the highest civilian order awarded for meritorious service to Latvia. It was established in 1924 in remembrance of the founding of Latvia. Its motto is ''Per aspera ad astra'', meaning "Through hardships towards the ...

(Triju Zvaigžņu ordenis).

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liepins, Zigmars 1952 births Living people Latvian composers Musicians from Liepāja