Ēriks Ešenvalds
Ēriks Ešenvalds is a Latvian composer. From 2011 to 2013 he was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, University of Cambridge.Biography
Ēriks Ešenvalds was born in Priekule, Latvia in 1977. He studied at the Latvian Baptist Theological Seminary before obtaining his master's degree in composition from the Latvian Academy of Music under the tutelage of Selga Mence. He took master-classes with Michael Finnissy, Klaus Huber, Philippe Manoury and Jonathan Harvey, amongst others. From 2002 to 2011 he was a member of the State Choir Latvija. From 2011 to 2013 he was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, University of Cambridge. Ešenvalds is a three-time winner of the Latvian Great Music Award. In 2006, the International Rostrum of Composers awarded him first prize for his work The Legend of the Walled-in Woman. Ešenvalds composed the official anthem of the 2014 World Choir Games during Riga European Capital of Culture 2014. Ešenvalds teaches at the Department of Composition of the Latvian Academy of Music.Recordings
Ešenvalds's compositions appear on recordings released by labels such as Hyperion Records, Decca Classics, Deutsche Grammophon, Delphian Records, Pentatone and Ondine.
Recordings devoted exclusively to his work include:
The album Northern Lights & other choral works was shortlisted for the Gramophone Awards 2015, selected as Gramophone Critics’ Choice 2015 and listed as ICI Radio-Canada Best Albums Selection in 2015. The albums At the Foot of the Sky and O Salutaris were awarded Best Classical Album of the Year in Latvia.
