| Kārlis Lācis | |
| Birth Date: | September 21, 1977 |
| Birth Place: | Tukums, Latvia |
| Alma Mater: | Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music |
| Occupation: | ComposerPianist |
| Years Active: | 1999- |
| Website: | www.karlislacis.lv |
Kārlis Lācis (born September 21, 1977) is a Latvian contemporary composer.[1] [2] Along with the scores for theatre productions, movies, and musical arrangements, a large part of his work is dedicated to vocal and choral music, symphonic, and instrumental compositions, including "Te Deum" (2014) with the State Choir Latvija,[3] and double concerto for flute, oboe and orchestra "42.195" (2014) with Liepaja symphony orchestra.[4] "Rorate coeli" (2014) for soprano, saxophone and organ and the first symphony "Via Crucis" premiered on April 3, 2015 with Latvian National symphony orchestra.[5] Kārlis was one of the jury members for 2014 World choir games[6] while Latvian capital Riga was the European capital of culture. His creative contribution includes musicals staged in Liepāja theatre and Dailes theatre "Pūt vējiņi" (2011) and "Oņēgins" (2013), both rewarded with the highest annual theater award for the best music author.[7] [8]
Upcoming premieres will include "Waltz for double-bass and string quartet"[9] (2017) - collaboration with famous Latvian musicians Vineta Sareika (violin), Gunārs Upatnieks (double - bass) and their colleagues from Berlin Philharmonic orchestra during the festival "Sensus"[10] in Liepāja on July 12, 2017.
Kārlis Lācis was born in Tukums. He graduated Kandava Children's School of Music (piano class), Kandava secondary school (1992), Jāzeps Mediņš College of Music in Riga (piano class, 1997) and the Latvian Academy of Music, where he studied piano with Juris Kalnciems (1997–2001, bachelor's degree, 2003–2005, master's degree), as well as composition with Juris Karlsons (2001–2002).[11]
In 2005, Lācis composed for Deah Loher's Klāras sakari, directed by Gintaras Varnas. It premiered at Dailes Theatre on 29 February 2005. In 2006, he composed for Riga's Tango, a ballet in one act in honor of late composer Oskars Stroks. Ilya Vlasenko choreographed the show and it premiered 3 April 2006 at the Latvian National Opera. German Grekov's Hanana, directed by Dž. Dž. Džilindžers, premiered February 5, 2010 at Liepāja Theatre[12] Later that year, on 17 September, he composed for Friedrich Schiller's Mary Stuart. This show opened at the Dailes Theatre and was also directed by Džilindžers. Pūt Vējiņi, a musical based on works by Rainis and directed by Džilindžers, opened 11 November 2011 at the Liepāja Theatre. Just over a month later, he composed for Kārlis Skalbe's children's play Pasaka par vērdiņu, directed by Pauls Timrots and open at the Dailes Theatre starting 21 December.
On 27 January 2012, he worked on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which was directed by Džilindžers and opened at the Dailes Theatre.[13] He composed Oņegins, a musical based on Alexander Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, which was also directed by Džilindžers. It opened 22 February 2013 at Dailes Theatre.[14] Lācis did not compose for professional theatre in 2014 and returned with Maxim Gorky's Children of the Sun, directed by Džilindžers and open at the Dailes Theatre starting 9 January 2015.[15] He also worked on Joan of Arc, again with Džilindžers at the Dailes. This premiered 9 January 2015.[16]
Co-producer, composer:
| Year | Album title | Featured artists, singers | Label ©+℗ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Corners | Kārlis Lācis | Platforma Records |
| 2002 | Fresh Evergreen | Kārlis Lācis | |
| 2008 | Chameleon | Linda Leen | Linda Leen |
| KИNO | Platforma Records | ||
| 2010 | AKTs | deBusul MUSIC | |
| 2011 | Lāču tēta dziesmas | deBusul MUSIC | |
| 2012 | Ziedonis. Lācis. Sievietes | 2K Publishing | |
| 2013 | Mežā | Artist: Aija Andrejeva, Lyrics by Māra Zālīte | |
| CITĀ© | Intars Busulis | deBusul MUSIC | |
| 2017 | Nākamā pietura |