Aivars Kalējs

Aivars Kalējs has written more than 100 opuses of symphonic, organ, piano, chamber and choir music. His works have won several composition awards, e.g. symphonic work "Musica Dolente" - dedicated to the victims of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.{{cite web |url=http://www.musicabaltica.lv/en/autori/381/piezimes/ |title=Aivars Kalējs |publisher=Musica Baltica |accessdate=4 February 2011

}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sfsymphony.org/UploadedFiles/about/press/PressReleases/Iveta%20Apkalna.pdf |title=Iveta Apkalna at Davies Symphony Hall |publisher=San Francisco Symphony |date=4 March 2010 |accessdate=4 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629072848/http://www.sfsymphony.org/UploadedFiles/about/press/PressReleases/Iveta%20Apkalna.pdf |archivedate=29 June 2011 }} His works are included in many CD's of the great musicians and collectives such as Iveta Apkalna, Andris Nelsons, Maxim Novikov and Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, Vita Kalnciema released retrospective CD Flashes of Aivars Kalējs organ music recorded in Riga Cathedral.Ilze Šarkovska-Liepiņa. [http://www.la.lv/liesmojosas-ergeles-un-balss-antologijas Liesmojošās ērģeles un balss. Antoloģijas]

Aivars Kalējs is a concert organist at the Dome Cathedral in Riga{{cite web |url=http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/10575/ |title=Riga's most precious symbol in Jeopardy |author=Elizabeth Celms |newspaper=The Baltic Times |date=28 July 2004 |accessdate=4 February 2011}} and chief organist for the New St. Gertrudes Lutheran Church. He has performed solo recitals, included participating in dozens of important international organ festivals, and toured with various ensembles throughout North America, Colombia,{{cite web |url=http://bogotailustrada.com/?p=3083 |title=Bogotá realiza el VI Festival Internacional de Música Sacra|date=5 September 2017 |publisher=Bogota Ilustrada |accessdate=21 October 2018

}} almost all European countries, and Asia, including prestigious venues as Notre Dame de Paris (only Latvian who had three recitals there), Musikverein, West Point Military Academy Cadet Chapel with largest pipe organ in the world. Kalējs is known as an enthusiast in search of undervalued works by famous composer and music by forgotten composers.

Up to 2004, he has recorded six solo CDs and participated in 34 CD recordings,[http://www.musicabaltica.lv/en/autori/381/piezimes/ Musica Baltica Ltd. - the major publisher in Latvia for Latvian music] including as chief organist for the Riga Dome Boys' Choir.{{cite web |url=http://www.concert.ee/04_08_2009_aivars_kaljs_(organ,_latvija) |title=Aivars Kalējs (organ, Latvija) |publisher=concert.ee |accessdate=4 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720125243/http://www.concert.ee/04_08_2009_aivars_kaljs_(organ,_latvija) |archive-date=2011-07-20 |url-status=dead }}

Kalējs has worked with such musicians as conductors Andris Nelsons, Māris Sirmais, Andres Mustonen, Pierre Cao, Sigvards Kļava, Normunds Šnē, Imants Kokars, Andris Veismanis and Tovy Lifshitz, violinists Gidon Kremer, Valdis Zariņš and Elina Buksha, violist Maxim Novikov, cellist Alexander Kniazev, Eleonora Testeļeca, pianist Polina Osetinskaya, singers Inese Galante, Inga Kalna, Inga Šļubovska-Kancēviča, Kristīne Gailīte, Ieva Parša, Martina Doehring, Lina Mkrtchyan, Egils Siliņš, Jānis Sproģis, Ingus Pētersons, Rustam Yavaev, Sergejs Jēgers, flutists Dita Krenberga and Ilze Urbāne, oboe player Uldis Urbāns, saxophonist Artis Sīmanis and Riga Saxophone Quartet, such collectives as Kremerata Baltica, State Choir Latvija, Latvian Radio Choir, Chamber Choir AVE SOL, Choir Kamēr and many national symphony orchestras. Kalējs has led vocal ensemble Dardedze (1971-1991) and he has been piano accompanist in Leonīds Vīgners chamber choir and choir Mūza.

From 1980 to 1985, he worked on the monument board at the Latvian Ministry of Culture’s, focusing on research of the organs of Latvian churches, and accomplishing the addition of 250 organs to the index of protected cultural monuments. Aivars Kalējs’ writings about organ history can be read in music lexicons and periodicals.https://www.musicabaltica.com/en/composers-and-authors/kalejs-aivars/ Cultural momumemnts

He studied under Ādolfs Skulte, Nikolajs Vanadziņš and Lūcija Garūta.

• List of compositions by Aivars Kalējs

; Selected works for symphony orchestra by Aivars Kalējs:

• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=kovCla4e8s4 Musica dolente], dedicated to the innocent victims of the tragic events of September 11, 2001
• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=WMEcvRt7VRY De profundis]

; Selected works for chamber music by Aivars Kalējs:

• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=MWNM-NTEujs Songs of Innocence], for chamber choir, flute and organ, poetry by William Blake
• Fugue on the Chorale Ein Feste Burg ist unser Gott and Blues, for saxophone quartet and organ
• Spiritual evening songs, for tenor, alto-saxophone and organ
• Ave Maria for voice and keyboard
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUDufjQ3dcE Viator Dei], for French horn/viola/cello and organ/piano
• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=LAWPfHhQzvE Toccata], for violin solo
• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=213r3L_Kyf4 Vēja dziesma (Wind Song)], for flute and piano
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InBC8LUKxa4&list=PLF97EBCB4B6593C14 Piano cycle French Album], op. 55 dedicated to eleven French composers - J.P. Rameau, E. Satie, G. Fauré, C. Debussy, M. Ravel, F. Poulenc, O. Messiaen, M. Legrand, J. Alain, L. Boulanger and F. Lai (1997)
• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=Aw-hWfLK50k Le stagioni per sotto voce (Seasons in an Undertone)], for piano

; Selected works for organ by Aivars Kalējs:

• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=5T6T4cOROoM Chorale Sonata]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mURnZBtGdeQ Solitudinem faciunt], in memory of victims in Zolitūde shopping centre roof collapse
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOkrLX-i5bE Toccata on the Chorale Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr]
• [https://open.spotify.com/track/00d1LuyB6CT3UKJHvQmavl Toccata in C, for organ duo]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S17j9g9H4AU Per aspera ad astra]
• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=MfPJ7JvQofI Via dolorosa]
• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=NUi5t3UfIhk Lux aeterna], [https://youtube.com/watch?v=osiCExIrLV8 Lux aeterna II],
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax79xPKvwzA Perpetuum mobile]
• [https://open.spotify.com/album/1lmPIPFtaYGgUYQElD4M8Z Prayer]

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aivars-Kalejs/576182669070067 Facebook — Aivars Kalējs]
• [https://www.youtube.com/user/lapasuro Youtube - Aivars Kalējs]

• [https://www.musicabaltica.com/en/shop/sring-instruments/violin/latvian-composers-for-solo-violin/ Sheet music - Toccata for violin solo by Kalējs]
• [https://www.musicabaltica.com/en/shop/female-childrens-choir/wcchoir-with-instruments/songs-of-innocence/ Sheet music - Songs of Innocence for female / children's choir, flute, organ / piano]
• [https://www.formblitz.de/products/aivars-kalejs-zwei-lieder-fuer-sopran-floete-oboe-und-klavier-noten-35993.html Sheet music - Two Madrigals for soprano, flute/oboe and piano by Kalējs]
• [https://www.formblitz.de/products/piquenique-la-manire-de-manet-noten-aivars-kalejs-35992.html Sheet music - Pique-nique à la Manière de Manet for soprano and piano by Kalējs]
• [http://www.notenpost.de/en/Eres-Edition/Music-from-Latvia/Music-Sheets/Via-Dolorosa-organ-111.html?listtype=search&searchparam=kalejs Sheet music - "Via Dolorosa" by Kalējs]
• [https://www.all-sheetmusic.com/Piano-Organ-Accordion/Organ/Organ-Music-From-The-Baltic-States-1-Latvia.html Sheet music - Per aspera ad astra by Kalējs]
• [http://www.formblitz.de/downloads/vorlagen/festliche-anlaesse/toccata-von-aivars-kalejs-noten-28667.html Sheet music - Toccata on the Chorale "Gloria in excelcis Deo"/"Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr" by Kalējs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023023850/http://www.formblitz.de/downloads/vorlagen/festliche-anlaesse/toccata-von-aivars-kalejs-noten-28667.html |date=2013-10-23 }}
• [http://www.editionpeters.com/detail.php?productid=ST42128&proddesc=&supercategory=BRN00017&branch=&wcategory=CAT00026&catdesc=Organ+&treecode=TRE00000&super=0040BRN00017~0040CAT00026 Sheet music - Edition Peters - Kalējs, Aivars "Prayer" (Gebet, Lūgšana)]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalejs, Aivars}}

Category:1951 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century Latvian classical composers

Category:20th-century male musicians

Category:21st-century classical composers

Category:21st-century organists

Category:21st-century Latvian male musicians

Category:Latvian organists

Category:Cathedral organists

Category:Classical organists

Category:Latvian male classical composers

Category:Male classical organists

Category:Musicians from Riga

Category:Organ improvisers