One of Europe’s most highly acclaimed choirs, the State Choir Latvija frequently collaborates with world-renowned conductors and orchestras, performing at prestigious concert halls and festivals across the globe. Being both musically intelligent and technically skilled, the choir’s singers are equally at home in one-to-a-part a cappella music and large-scale works with full orchestra. Since 1997, Māris Sirmais has been the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the choir, while Māris Ošlejs has held the role of Executive Director. In 2022, the choir celebrated its eightieth birthday, beginning its anniversary year with a performance of EJ NU EJ, Laura Jēkabsone’s chamber opera for children.

The State Choir Latvija is regularly invited to perform at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, where performances have included Mahler’s second and third symphonies, and Ligeti’s Requiem with the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra and conductor Kent Nagano; in 2019, the choir gave a solo performance there with organist Iveta Apkalna.

Collaborations with internationally renowned orchestras include those with the Royal Concertgebouw, Bavarian Radio Symphony, London Philharmonic, Hamburg Philharmonic State, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Israel Philharmonic, Cadaqués, Hong Kong Philharmonic and Singapore Symphony orchestras. The choir has performed with distinguished conductors such as Mariss Jansons, Andris Nelsons, Zubin Mehta, Neeme Järvi, Jaap van Zweden, Paavo Järvi, Vladimir Ashkenazy, David Zinman, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Simone Young and Tõnu Kaljuste.

One of the most significant achievements in the choir’s history was a collaboration with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Mariss Jansons in a world tour dedicated to the orchestra’s 125th anniversary. In 2011, the choir was honoured to perform Mahler’s magnificent eighth symphony with the RCO in Amsterdam and with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich.

Among the celebrated concert halls at which the choir has performed are the Elbphilharmonie, KKL Luzern, Royal Concertgebouw, Auditorio Nacional de Música (Madrid), Lincoln Center (New York), Shanghai Concert Hall and the Esplanade (Singapore).

Globally acclaimed for both its academic excellence and innovative projects, the State Choir Latvija has recorded for labels including Hyperion, Naxos, Warner, Harmonia Mundi, WERGO and Ondine, in addition to numerous recording projects with both Latvian and other music publishers.