Emils Darzins Music School

• Name — Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music • Native Name — Jāzepa Vītola Latvijas Mūzikas akadēmija • Type — Public • Rector — Ilona Meija • Administrative Staff — 117 • Students — 600 (2008) • City — Rīga • Country — Latvia • Address — 1 Kr. Barona Street • Campus — Urban • Former Names — Jāzeps Vītols Latvian conservatory • Website — www.jvlma.lv/

• Illustration — Main building of the Academy The Latvian Conservatory of Music was founded in 1919 by Latvian composer Jāzeps Vītols, who became the first director of the Latvian National Opera. He remained director until 1944, excepting 1935–1937 when the director was his choral assistant Pauls Jozuus. Junior and senior courses covered around 9 to 10 academic years. Beginning in 1940, the structure of the conservatory changed: lower junior courses were transferred to the secondary education system and later became a base for Jāzeps Mediņš's and Emīls Dārziņš's secondary schools of music. Higher courses were offered in the conservatory. Beginning 1 October 1951 LPSR Institute of Theater was attached to the conservatory, reorganizing it to a faculty of theater with departments for acting and directing. In May 1958 it was renamed Jāzeps Vītols Latvian conservatory. In January 1964 the conservatory was momentarily renamed to J. Vītols Latvian institute of Art, but in July the earlier name returned to the earlier name.

The Academy is divided into the following departments: • Piano Department • Department of Accompanists • Department of Compulsory Piano • Department of Chamber Ensemble and Piano Accompaniment • Department of String Instruments • Department of Wind Instruments • Department of Jazz Music • Department of Orchestra Conducting • Department of Choir Conducting • Department of Vocal Music • Department of Early Music • Department of Choreography • Department of Music Education • Department of Instrument Performance Teaching • Department of Music Technology • Department of Composition • Department of Musicology • Department of Humanities • Department of Science and Research • Department of Self-Financed Studies • Department of Doctoral Studies

• Misha Alexandrovich, cantor • Iveta Apkalna, pianist and organist • Volfgangs Dārziņš • Ēriks Ešenvalds, composer • Sarah Feigin • Elīna Garanča, mezzo-soprano • Inese Galante, soprano • Jānis Ivanovs, composer • Arvīds Jansons • Olga Jegunova, pianist • Oleg Kagan, violinist • Aivars Kalējs, organist and composer • Gidon Kremer, violinist • Armands Melnbārdis, musician and recording artist • Kristīne Opolais, soprano • Raimonds Pauls • Uģis Prauliņš • Uldis Pūcītis, actor • Lauma Reinholde, composer, pianist and teacher • Alfred Strombergs, conductor, vocal coach, and pianist • Aleksandrs Viļumanis, conductor • Imants Zemzaris