About the competition
Continuing the more than century-long traditions of choral singing and choral conducting in the Baltic States, the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music will organise the Jāzeps Vītols 7th International Choral Conductors Competition 2026 from 23 to 27 November 2026. This regularly held international competition in Riga brings together young choral conductors from around the world.
The Competition aims to provide young conductors with an opportunity to demonstrate their artistic excellence in an international competitive environment, to foster collaboration among choral conductors and conducting teachers from different countries, and to promote Latvian choral culture and the Song and Dance Celebration tradition internationally. It also seeks to strengthen the continuity of the European choral conducting tradition and enhance the prestige of the conducting profession both in Latvia and abroad.
The Latvian school of choral conducting has earned wide international recognition, and the Competition further strengthens its global reputation while demonstrating the continuity and vitality of Latvia's conducting tradition. The education of highly qualified conductors is essential for ensuring the sustainability of the Latvian Song and Dance Celebration tradition and for promoting Latvia's cultural identity worldwide.
As in previous editions, the Competition is open to choral conductors from all over the world up to the age of 30. During five intensive days, participants will compete for the title of Best Young Choral Conductor.
Contestants will have the unique opportunity to work with the following distinguished ensembles: Riga Chamber Choir Ave Sol, State Choir Latvija, Latvian Radio Choir, Mixed Choir of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Riga Cathedral Girls' Choir TIARA.
The Competition will take place at the premises of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and in the Great Hall of the University of Latvia. Performances will be evaluated by an international jury consisting of five renowned experts.
The first choral conducting competition in restored independent Latvia was held in 1997. It was organised by the Choral Conducting Department of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in cooperation with the Music Department of the Emīls Melngailis Folk Art Centre. The initiator and founder of the Competition was Professor Jānis Lindenbergs, then Head of the Choral Conducting Department.
Since then, the Competition has been held regularly in 1997, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2014, and 2019. Over the years, young conductors have participated from numerous countries, including Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus, Bolivia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, South Korea, Italy, Israel, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, Serbia, Slovenia, Finland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, Hungary, Germany, Venezuela, and Sweden.
The Competition's primary target audience consists of choral conducting students and graduates under the age of 30 from higher music education institutions in Latvia and abroad. It also involves singers of the participating choirs, all students and academic staff of the Choral Conducting and Music Teacher Departments of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, as well as students from Latvian secondary music schools.
The Competition will also be accessible to a wider audience, including choral conductors and music enthusiasts from Latvia and abroad, through a live online broadcast.
More than simply a competition for young conductors, the event serves as an international meeting place for conducting teachers and professionals from around the world. It offers opportunities to exchange experience, observe current trends in music education, discover works by Latvian composers, establish professional contacts, generate new ideas, and share information about future developments within the field.
The Competition serves as both a platform for professional development and an international showcase of Latvia's outstanding choral tradition.
The organiser of the Competition is the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, including its Choral Conducting Department and Mixed Choir, Concert Department, International Relations Office, Administrative Services, and other Academy departments, in close cooperation with the University of Latvia and the Latvian Conductors Association.
Contact information
Artistic Director: Aira Birziņa, Mg. art., Professor, Choral Conducting Department, Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music
Project Manager: Agita Rimšēviča
E-mail: ccc@jvlma.lv