IX International Stasys Vainiūnas Competition for Pianists and Chamber Ensembles The next International Stasys Vainiūnas Competition for Piano and Chamber Ensembles is planned for 2026, Vilnius

Arigo Štrāls

| Latvia

Professor Arigo Štrāls (Latvia) graduated Jāzeps Vītols Latvian State Conservatory in 1984 in the class of prof. Bernhards Tiltiņš. He has been leading the viola class at the Latvian Academy of Music since 1993. At the same time, Arigo Strāls is the Principal Violist of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and regularly participates in Vidzeme Chamber Orchestra and Nordic Symphony Orchestra projects. Arigo Štrāls has collaborated with many outstanding conductors like Neeme Järvi, Mariss Jansons, Kristian Järvi, Järvi Paavo, Gennady Rozhdestvenski, Yuri Simonov, Krszysztof Penderecki, Olari Elts, Mikelsen Terje, Karel Mark Chichon, Andris Nelsons. He has performed with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra in Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Japan, Russia, the Netherlands (Amsterdam Concertgebouw), Norway, Poland, Portugal, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, Germany (Staatsoper Berlin, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Berliner Philharmonie) and Sweden. Arigo Štrāls has performed as a soloist in both Europe and Asia and has performed premieres of compositions by several Latvian composers (Alvils Altmanis, Pēteris Plakidis, Ilona Breģe, Georgs Pelēcis). He is the artistic director of the A. Dombrovskis International Competition and has been a member and chairman at various other competitions. Arigo Štrāls has held masterclasses in Latvian music schools, as well as abroad (Royal Academy of Music in London, Vitoria Conservatory in Brazil, Milan Conservatory).