Role

:

Conductor

Birth

:

June 29, 1980 in Riga, Latvia

 

Andris Poga is a Latvian conductor who has made a name for himself in the classical music world. Born on May 30, 1981, in Riga, Latvia, Poga grew up in a family of musicians. His father, Andris Poga Sr., was a well-known cellist in Latvia, and his mother, Dzintra Poga, was a pianist. Poga began playing the piano at the age of six and later took up the cello, studying with his father. Poga's interest in conducting began when he was a teenager. He attended the Emils Darzins Music School in Riga, where he studied cello and conducting. He later went on to study at the Latvian Academy of Music, where he earned a degree in conducting. Poga's career as a conductor began in 2004 when he was appointed as the assistant conductor of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. He quickly gained recognition for his talent and was appointed as the principal conductor of the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra in 2006. He held this position until 2010, during which time he led the orchestra in numerous performances and recordings. In 2010, Poga was appointed as the principal conductor of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, a position he held until 2013. During his tenure, he led the orchestra in numerous performances and recordings, including a critically acclaimed recording of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5. Poga's international career began to take off in 2012 when he was invited to conduct the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. This led to further invitations to conduct orchestras in Europe and Asia, including the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2015, Poga was appointed as the music director of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, a position he held until 2019. During his tenure, he led the orchestra in numerous performances and recordings, including a critically acclaimed recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 2. Poga has also been recognized for his talent and achievements in the classical music world. In 2010, he was awarded the Latvian Grand Music Award for his contributions to the country's music scene. In 2015, he was named the Rising Star Conductor by the European Concert Hall Organization, which led to a series of performances with some of Europe's top orchestras. One of Poga's most notable performances was his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 2017. He conducted a program of works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky, which was met with critical acclaim. The Berliner Zeitung praised Poga's "precise and nuanced conducting" and his ability to "bring out the best in the orchestra." Poga's repertoire is wide-ranging, and he has conducted works by composers such as Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, and Shostakovich. He is known for his attention to detail and his ability to bring out the nuances of a piece of music. In addition to his work as a conductor, Poga is also a composer. He has written works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments. His compositions have been performed by orchestras and ensembles in Latvia and abroad. Poga continues to be an active conductor and composer, and his career shows no signs of slowing down. He is known for his passion for music and his dedication to his craft, and he is sure to be a major figure in the classical music world for years to come.

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