Piano Duo · Latvia
Latvia’s best-known piano duo — recipients of the Grand Music Prize of Latvia, heard from the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto to Merkin Concert Hall in New York.
Two pianos, one voice
Antra and Normunds Viksne began their professional career as a piano duo in 1997. Both received their Master’s degrees in piano-duo performance from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and refined their art in master classes with José Ribera, Liisa Pohjola and Helmut Ohlaf. Their recordings for the Latvian Radio and Television studios range from Mozart, Schubert and Brahms to Debussy, Messiaen, Takemitsu, Bergman and Adams.
The Duo
Antra Viksne, born in Riga, is Head of the Piano Department at the Jāzeps Mediņš School of Music and an accompanist at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. Normunds Viksne, born in Pļaviņas, is Professor and Head of the Compulsory Piano Department at the Academy. Together they have premiered works by Latvia’s leading composers across Europe, the Baltic States, Russia and North America.
About the duo →Repertoire
The duo literature
Mozart · Schubert · Brahms · Grieg · Dvořák · Saint-Saëns · Debussy · Ravel · Poulenc · Milhaud · Messiaen · Barber · Shostakovich · Adams
Latvian composers
Vasks · Zemzaris · Ķeniņš · Karlsons · Kalsons · Mence · Aperāne · Mežaraups · Vecumnieks
On Stage
Festival appearances include Pro Baltica, Mariu Klavirai, Saxopfonia, the Šiauliai Piano Duo Festival and the Piano Stars Festival.
Concert programmes 2003–2009 →Honours
For premieres of works by Latvian composers and concerts in Latvia and abroad — awarded that year alongside Mstislav Rostropovich, Baiba Skride and Arturs Maskats.
Finalists of the international competition.
The duo’s recording of Selga Mence’s “Songs” recognised at the Rostrum.
First Prize in Visaginas, with the prize for The Best Interpretation of a Contemporary Composition.
Programme
Romualds Jermaks
Five Latvian Folk Songs — for one piano, four hands
Imants Mežaraups
Deux Postludes après Chopin — for one piano, four hands
Selga Mence
Songs for Two Pianos
Imants Zemzaris
“Three Sisters” — Fantasy for Two Pianos
Dace Aperāne
Haiku for Two Pianos
Andris Vecumnieks
Quasi Campanella
Andris Vecumnieks
Paraphrase after J.-Ph. Rameau’s “Two Hens”
Invitations
For concert bookings, festival programmes and collaborations, write to Antra and Normunds — they will be glad to hear from you.
