Biography
Anna Veismanes’ music is stylistically diverse, starting with sophisticated instrumental and vocal chamber music to jazz-inspired compositions. The source of inspiration is often other forms of art – such as poetry or paintings. Anna’s music is characterized by distinctive images and characters and she prefers to write chamber music, because of personal involvement and cooperation with interpreters, and afterwards, because of the direct and intimate contact with the audience.
Currently Anna Veismane works at Latvian Radio 3 – Klasika as a producer of sound recordings as well as a program manager and regularly organizes concerts – live broadcasts at the 1st studio of Latvian Radio. She was an artistic director of the Latvian Composers’ Union festival “The Latvian New Music Days 2022”. Anna is a member of the Latvian Composer’s Union’s board and a chair-person of ISCM Latvia section.
Anna Veismane’s musical performance “The Yellow Sidewalk” has received The Latvian Grand Music Award 2023, the highest prize awarded by the Latvian state in the field of music. The performance was created together with actress Guna Zariņa, flutist Maija Zandberga, bassoonist Jānis Semjonovs and pianist Rihards Plešanovs.
Anna Veismane collaborated with violinists Baiba Skride, Elīna Bukša, Paula Šūmane, cellists Gunta Ābele, Ilze Grudule, flutists Ilona Meija, Dita Krenberga, Ieva Nīmane, pianists Lauma Skride, Agnese Egliņa, Rūdolfs Vanks, organists Iveta Apkalna, Maria Magdalena Kaczor, harpsichordist Ieva Saliete, guitarist Bogdan Michailescu, violist Edmundo Ramirez, accordionists Timo Kinnunen, William Schimmel, saxophonist Aigars Raumanis, kokle players Anda Eglīte and Līga Griķe, singers Evija Martinsone, Aija Veismane and Ieva Parša, percussionists Juris Āzers and Guntars Freibergs. Her music has been performed by I Solisti Veneti and conductor Claudio Scimone and North/South Chamber Orchestra conductor Max Lifchitz. Also chamber orchestra Sinfonia Concertante, Riga Saxophone Quartet, vocal group Putni, string quartet ConTempo, trio Metamorfoze, ensemble Altera Veritas,and The Concorde Contemporary Music Ensemble.
Anna Veismane (1976) studied in E.Darzins Music School. The first teachers of composition were Pēteris Vasks and Imants Zemzaris. Then she studied composition at the J.Vitols Latvian Academy of Music with Romualds Kalsons and Juris Karlsons graduating with a master’s degree. She has participated in master classes with David Lang, Par Lindgren, John Woolrich, Klas Torstensson, Tapio Tuomela (Young Composers Mastercourses in Latvia), Yannis Kyriakides (Music Laboratory The Process in Lithuania), and Jonathan Harvey (the Time of Music festival in Finland).
Anna’s music has been played in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania (festival Druskomanija), Germany, Romania, Italy, Irland, Finland (Hetta Music Event, Time of Music festival), Japan (festival Creative), South Korea (Pan Music Festival 2016) and USA (Queens New Music Festival)
Anna Veismane has received the 3rd place of the Young Composers Choir Composition Competition organized by Latvian Radio and received a memorial award of Arnolds Sturms and, as a pianist, award of Olgerts Zivers. With the deep interest in the promotion of young composers, Anna Veismane has organized the International Competition of Young Composers Saules krasts (2002-2008) and competition Skaņuraksti Ādažos (2014 – 2023)
More information in latvian; https://www.lmic.lv/lv/komponisti/anna-veismane-4321#!/
Scores available here: www.universaledition.com/veismane