Composers > Ansis Sauka

Ansis Sauka

"I am happy for that what is, and I do not think about that, what is not."

Ansis Sauka


BIOGRAPHY

The composer and singer (bass) Ansis Sauka was born on April 18th, 1963 in Pļaviņas. He studied in the piano department of the Jāzeps Mediņš College of Music (1979–1983, Dagnija Freidenfelde-Gailīte), the vocal department of the Latvian Academy of Music, (1987–1992, Bruno Egle, Sergejs Martinovs, Gurijs Antipovs), and, as an elective, in the composition department (Pauls Dambis), as well as master’s studies in the vocal department (1993–1995, Gurijs Antipovs). He furthered his training in the vocal arts with Brūss Ābels (1994, Germany), and Rahele Shulova (1999, Israel).

He was a choir artist with the State Academic Choir Latvija (1985–1987), and a soloist with the Latvian National Opera (1995–1998). He debuted at the Latvian National Opera in the role of Colline in G. Puccini’s opera La Boheme, and sang bass roles in G. Verdi’s opera Rigoletto, G. Puccini’s operas Turandot, Tosca and others. His most notable role was Salieri in N. Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera Mozart and Salieri, conducted by Leonīds Vīgners. He has participated in the requiems of A. Bruckner and W. A. Mozart, the cantatas and Magnificat of J. S. Bach, the J. Haydn Mass and other vocal instrumental performances. He has also performed in the genre of chamber music, singing the vocal chamber music work of J. S. Bach, W. A. Mozart, F. Schubert, J. Brahms and has collaborated with pianist Valdis Jancis and other singers, creating interesting Latvian (E. Melngalis, J. Vītols, E. Dārziņš, L. Vīgners) musical programmes. As a soloist, he has visited Germany, France and Holland.

He has turned to teaching work: he was a piano teacher at the 6th Riga secondary school (1985–1995), he is a vocal instructor for the Riga 1st primary school youth choir Kamēr... (as of 1994) and the State Academic Choir Latvija (as of 1998).

The centre of his creative work is vocal music. His choir music has been performed by many choirs in Latvia, including Dzintars, Kamēr..., the State Academic Choir Latvija, as well as the vocal group Putni. His music has been performed in Finland, Iceland, Germany, France, Spain, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan.

He is a member of the Riga Latvian Society, and an honourable member of the Samshoblo Georgian Society.


DISCOGRAPHY

[Songs for women’s choir:] Sen nav redzētas zvaigznes (Long have the Stars not been Seen) – 2’14” / Kad gulbji aizlaižas (When the Swans Depart) – 3’41” / Buramdziesmiņa (Conjuring Song) – 1’38” / The women’s choir Dzintars, conductors Ausma Derkēvica, Pēteris Plūme // Sieviešu koris Dzintars – [1996/97], RS 022

Septiņas japāņu haikas par pavasari (Seven Japanese Haikus about Spring) / the vocal ensemble Putni, artistic director Antra Dreģe – 5’15” // Vokālais ansamblis Putni. Pamošanās – 2003, PUTNI, PCD 3

[Songs for voice and piano:] Nakts (Night) – 2’58” / Vējš (Wind) – 4’13” / Rīts (Morning) – 3’53” / Bij’ galā vasara (The summer is over) – 1’28” / Zvaigzne kā maza muļķe (A weeping star) – 2’05” / Dvēsele pamodusies (A soul’s awakening) – 2’07” / Dīvains pavasaris (A strange spring) – 3’05” / Aiznesīsim sirdis (Let’s bring our hearts) – 1’09” / Kukainīt, re kā saule spīd (Look, the sun’s shining) – 1’46” / Un roze teica... (And a rose said...) – 1’29” / Dreb vējā roze... (A rose trembling in wind...) – 1’40” / Mīla, kas neposta... (A love that does not injure...) – 1’05” / Cilvēk, kam izsamist? (Why do you despair?) – 1’15” / Skurbis vai slāpis (Now excitement, now thirst) – 1’17” / Neatvadīsimies (Don’t say goodbye) – 1’40” / Klusums (Silence) – 3’39” / Zvaigznes (Stars) – 2’58” / Mēs esam putni (We are as birds) – 1’51” / Ceļš (On the way) – 3’52” / Ave Maria – 3’43” / soloists Antra Bigača, Sonora Vaice, Miervaldis Jenčs, Ansis Sauka, pianist Valdis Jancis // Ceļš – [2000, self released]


LITERATŪRA

O. Pētersone, Romantiķis kvadrātā (A Romantic Squared) [a review of the author’s concert] // Rīgas Balss, May 25th, 1998 • Ingm. Zemzaris, Anša Saukas autorkoncerts (Ansis Sauka’s Author’s Concert) [review] // Literatūra. Māksla. Mēs, June 4th/11th, 1998 • I. Lagzdiņa, Labs pārsteigums (A Nice Surprise) [a review of the author’s concert] // Brīvā Latvija (London), June 6th/12th, 1998 • G. Pupa, Grūts? Nē, skaists liktenis! (Difficult? No, a Beautiful Fate) // Literatūra un Māksla Latvijā, April 20th, 2000 • I. Zveja, Mazas dvēseliskas provokācijas (Small Soulful Provocations) // Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze, November 15th, 2003 • I. Lagzdiņa, Par garo pupu, debesīm un citām augstām matērijām (About the Long Bean, the Sky, and Other High Matters) [a review] // Brīvā Latvija, December 13th/19th, 2003; the same in Laiks, December 13th/19th, 2003 • I. Lagzdiņa, Pretī gaismai (Towards the Light) [a review of concerts, including A. Sauka’s author’s concert] // Brīvā Latvija, June 10th-16th, 2006


Arvīds Bomiks, Mārīte Dombrovska
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