Jēkabs Jančevskis

Composer and conductor Jēkabs Jančevskis (1992) started to create music at the age of 14 and since then has become one of the most sought-after Latvian composers of his generation. In his music, Jančevskis illustrates light, spiritual, and philosophic contemplation, but to execute the dramaturgical ideas, saturated emotional expressions also appear.

Laureate of Latvia’s annual theatre award Players’ Night 2023 in the category Best Musial composition of the Year, laureate of Latvian Grand Music Award 2021 in the category Composer of the Year. In 2019, he won the grand prize in the International Competition for composers ROSTRUM (in the age group up to 30 years).

A significant part of Jēkabs Jančevskis’ creative work is dedicated to choir music and compositions including a choir. He has collaborated several times with the most significant Latvian choirs: State Choir Latvija, Ave Sol, Latvian Radio Choir, youth choir Kamēr..., Sōla, Juventus etc. On the international scene, his choir music has been performed by Berliner Singakademie (Germany), Rundfunkchor Berlin (Germany), Chór NFM (Poland), Urbandale Singers (USA), The Michigan University choir (USA), PSM Swara Wadhana choir (Indonesia), MDR Rundfunkchor (Germany), PSM UGM (Indonesia), Akademisk Kor Århus (Denmark) and many more.

In 2020, with Riga Cathedral Choir School’s mixed choir and conductor Jurģis Cābulis, he recorded his first original music album, Aeternum (Hyperion Records, Great Britain). The CD was positively reviewed by many prestigious classical music reviewers such as BBC Music Magazine, Gramophone, Fanfare music and many more.

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”From haunting stillness to exquisite plangency, the Latvian Jančevskis's choral music captivates with its sheer intensity”

- BBC Music Magazine

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“An arresting beauty, with an immensity of imagery and emotional intensity which demands repeated listening”

- Fanfare Music

In 2023 Jančevskis' piece Lignum was recorded by worldwide famous chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica and released by prestigious record label ECM.

In 2023 Jēkabs Jančevskis’ compositions were performed in many concerts of the XXVII Nationwide Song Festival in Latvia, including 5 premieres.

The symphonic pieces of Jēkabs Jančevskis have been performed by Konzerthausorchester Berlin (Germany), Kremerata Baltica (Latvia), Liepāja Symphony Orchestra (Latvia), Orchestra RIGA (Latvia), Sinfonietta Rīga (Latvia), Latvian National Symphony orchestra (Latvia) etc. A contemporary ensemble from Sweden, Norrbotten Neo, has also commissioned Jančevskis to compose music for them.

Another important wield of the composer’s creative work is theatre and movie scores. Jančevskis has created music for the theatre’s plays Lauva ziemā (The Lion in Winter, director Juris Jonelis, 2012) and Klavigo (Clavigo, director Volker Schmidt, 2016). Since 2023, the composer’s music is heard in the Dailes Theatre’s play Brands (Brand, director Viesturs Kairišs). Jančevskis is also the music author for the documentary without narrated text Dubļi (Mud, 2010), produced by Dainis Kļava. Currently, Jančevskis is creating a score for the movie Zeme, kas dzied (In the Land that Sings, director Māris Martinsons).

Jēkabs Jančevskis started studying composition at the age of 14 – his first teacher was Ilze Arne, followed by Pauls Dambis and Eriks Ešenvalds in his secondary school years (while at the same time studying choir conducting at the Riga Cathedral Choir School). In 2012 he enrolled in the composition class of Selga Mence and Jānis Petraškevičs at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music.

In addition to Jančevskis’ creative work as a composer, he is also a composition teacher at the Riga Cathedral Choir School. Before that, he was the conductor in mixed choir Anima and one of the best-known amateur choirs in Latvia, "Sōla".