Jānis Ozols (born 1 November 1980 in

Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

) is a Latvian

choral conductor Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or Choir, choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary d ...

, television personality, gastronomy blogger and former member of vocal group

Cosmos The cosmos (, ; ) is an alternative name for the universe or its nature or order. Usage of the word ''cosmos'' implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity. The cosmos is studied in cosmologya broad discipline covering ...

. Currently the

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogu ...

and conductor of youth choir "MASKA", as well as the host of Lattelecom TV channel "360TV" weekly broadcasts of "Culture Sundays". He also led the culinary show "We live deliciously". Since 2011 the

district conductor and since 2014 Jurmala city choir chief conductor. In his spare time –

blogger A blog (a Clipping (morphology), truncation of "weblog") is an informational website consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries also known as posts. Posts are typically displayed in Reverse chronology, reverse chronologic ...

at culinary blog "Restaurant at home and not only ..."

Life

Jānis Ozols was born in Riga on 1 November 1980, in a family of lawyer Nikolajs Jānis (1937–2007) and

vendor In a supply chain, a vendor, supplier, provider or a seller, is an enterprise that contributes goods or services. Generally, a supply chain vendor manufactures inventory/stock items and sells them to the next link in the chain. Today, these term ...

Lilita Blome (later Ozola, 1942–2003). Conductor's parents had no connection with music, only as much as his mother's years of work in a music store, selling wide range of

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...

records. Jānis Ozols studied in Emīls Dārziņš Music School between 1989 and 1996 and the Riga Dome Choir School (RDCS) in choir conducting class between 1996 and 1999. A year after graduating from the choir conducting class in RDCS, he studied music management in RDCS culture management department. In 2004 he received his professional

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music (), formerly the Riga Conservatory, is a higher music conservatory in Riga, Latvia. The junior institute is the Emīls Dārziņš Music School. History The Latvian Conservatory of Music was founded in ...

, the choir conducting class with professor Sigvards Kļava. In 2013 with professor Jānis Zirnis holds a master's degree in choral conducting. In 2013 and 2014 studied orchestra conducting (master study direction) at the Swedish

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music (RCM) is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including pe ...

in Stockholm.

Career

Jānis Ozols has been a singer, conductor and artistic director of several

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

s and vocal groups in Latvia. From 1998 to 2003, he sang

baritone A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...

in the Riga Dome Choir School boys choir, and from 2001 to 2004, representing the same voice group, sang in the choir "Chorus Sapiens". Ozols was a conductor of choirs "Atskaņa" (1997–2012), "Rīga" (1999–2000), "Jūrmala" (2000–2002), "Dziesmuvara" (2002–2004) and "Vanema" (2010–2015). He has been an artistic director of vocal group "Jauna nianse" (2000–2003). Now works with Garkalne mixed choir "Pa Saulei" (2010) which is led by his wife Marta Ozola along with colleague Margarita Dudcaka. Currently Jānis Ozols is the artistic director and conductor of youth choir "Maska". Established in 2000, youth choir "Maska" is currently one of the best amateur choirs in Latvia. As a singer of vocal group "Cosmos" (2002) Jānis Ozols has collaborated with such world renowned artists as

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter, and conductor (music), conductor. His Vocal pedagogy, vocal techniques include singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in Pitch (music), pitch—fo ...

The Real Group The Real Group is an a cappella group from Sweden. Members are Clara Fornander, Joanné Pastor Nugas, Johannes Rückert Becker, Axel Berntzon and Daniele Dees. The group's members compose and arrange most of their songs. They sing in English an ...

Take 6 Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received several Grammy Awards as well as D ...

The Manhattan Transfer The Manhattan Transfer was an American vocal group founded in 1969 in New York City, performing music genres like a cappella, Brazilian jazz, Swing music, swing, vocalese, rhythm and blues, Pop music, pop, and standards. They have won eleven G ...

, The Hilliard Ensemble, The New York Voices,

The Flying Pickets The Flying Pickets are a British ''a cappella'' vocal group which had a List of Christmas number one singles (UK), Christmas number one hit record, hit in 1983 on the UK Singles Chart with their cover version of Yazoo (band), Yazoo's track "Onl ...

M-pact m-pact is an American pop-jazz vocal group based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in June 1995, the band is known for their vocal arrangements, recordings, and music videos. The name "m-pact" signifies an agreement between the members to re ...

and Icelandic music icon

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...

. "Cosmos" won the contest of young singers "New Wave" in 2004 and received the Latvian Great Music Award in 2009. Parallel to his everyday work, Ozols is involved in projects unrelated with choral music. On 2013 he was a host of culinary show "We live deliciously" ("Garšīgi dzīvojam"). Since 2015 Jānis Ozols also is a host of "Culture Sundays" ("Kultūras domnīca"), which is one of Lattelecom TV channel "360TV" weekly broadcasts. He has been a member of the jury in several competitions and local television shows, such as the "General Student Song and Dance Festival" choral competitions (2015),

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

vocalist competition "Pärnu Ballaad" in

Pärnu Pärnu () is the fourth-largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second-largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of ...

, Estonia (2013), the 50th International Choir Competition "Seghizzi 2011" in

Gorizia Gorizia (; ; , ; ; ) is a town and (municipality) in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, Region ...

, Italy, as well as several television shows, one of them – "Latvian Golden Talents". Ozols has led master classes in Stockholm, Sweden – "Latvian choir musical pearls" in 2014, as well as worked in the academic music field by conducting and staging both – already known classical compositions

Gävle Symphony Orchestra The Gävle Symphony Orchestra () is a symphony orchestra based in Gävle, Sweden. The orchestra is resident at the ''Gävle Konserthus'' (Gävle Concert Hall). History Founded in 1912, giving its first concert on 16 January that year, the orchest ...

, staged Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony in 2014, as well as new talent premieres (Sinfonietta Riga, staged premiere of Rihards Zaļupe

oratorio An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble. Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...

"Bread" for orchestra, choir and soloists (2013)). In 2015 produced choral music album "Winter" (music by Laura Jēkabsone), in collaboration with the

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO; ) is a Latvian orchestra based in Riga. Its primary performance venue is the Great Guild Hall in Riga. In addition to regular symphonic concerts, the orchestra also broadcasts and records. H ...

String group, pianist Aurelia Šimkus, choir "Maska", soloists Santa Pētersone, Laura Jēkabsone, Jānis Strazdiņš and Ģirts Ozolinš, as well as with the harpers ensemble "Balti" and guitarist Gints Smukais.

Awards, nominations and competitions

* Music album "7 Gospels of the gospel of Thomas" (composer Rihards Zaļupe, youth choir Maska, Xylem Trio) nominated to "Latvian Annual Music Award 2010" in the categories "Debut of the Year" and "Best classical music album" (2011) * The special award "Best conductor" at the 13th International choir competition "Europe and its Songs" in

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

(with the participation of the youth choir "Maska", 2011) * "The best new conductor" award of 49th International Choir Competition "SCHEGHIZZI 2010" (with the participation of the youth choir "Maska", 2010) * Latvian "Great Music Award" – best musical album for children in 2009 (vocal group "Cosmos", 2010) * Latvian "Great Music Award" category "Concert of the Year" (vocal group "Cosmos", 2009) * 3rd place in

Jāzeps Vītols Jāzeps Vītols (; 26 July 1863 – 24 April 1948) was a Latvian composer, pedagogue and music critic. He is considered one of the fathers of Latvian classical music. Biography Vītols, born in Valmiera the son of a schoolteacher, began hi ...

International Conductors Competition (2009)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ozols, Janis 1980 births Living people Latvian conductors (music) Latvian choral conductors Latvian male conductors (music) Musicians from Riga 21st-century conductors (music) 21st-century Latvian male musicians