Pēteris Plakidis (4 March 1947 – 8 August 2017) was a Latvian
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and def ...
and
pianist
A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...
.
Early life
Plakidis was born on 4 March 1947 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 ...
. He was educated at the
Emīls Dārziņš
Emīls Dārziņš (November 3, 1875 – August 31, 1910) was a Latvian composer, conductor and music critic. Dārziņš' work bears a distinct romantic character, with a strong trend towards national themes. His main musical authorities and i ...
College of Music before studying as an
undergraduate
Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education, usually in a college or university. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, ...
in the Composition Department at the
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 ...
State Conservatory (now the
Latvian Academy of Music). He graduated in 1970, having been taught by composers
Jānis Ivanovs and
Valentīns Utkins. Plakidis undertook further
postgraduate study
Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor' ...
at the
conservatory, which he completed in 1975.
Career
From 1969 to 1974, before he had graduated, Plakidis held the post of
musical director
A music director, musical director or director of music is a person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert ...
for the Latvian National Theatre. From 1975, he was a tutor in the composition department at the Latvian Academy of Music, and in 1991 he became professor of composition. Plakidis has received much recognition as a composer. In 1969 he received a diploma at the All-Union Young Composers' Competition, for his composition "Music for Piano, String Orchestra and Timpani" and in 1982 was awarded the title of
Honoured Artist. He was the recipient of the
Jānis Ivanovs Prize in 1987 and in 1990 he was awarded the title of "
People's Artist
People's Artist is an honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states (and communist states in general), as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the U ...
". In 1996, Plakidis won the Latvian
Grand Music Award for "Variations for Orchestra".
Music
Plakidis's music is often part of the
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra's repertoire, and he was commissioned to write orchestral works for their 60th, 65th and 70th anniversaries. His works have also been performed by the
New York University Chamber Music Society who performed "Pastorale". ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' described the piano part as "couched in brash, clustered harmonies" and the piece as "fascinating".
"''Distant Song''" has featured as a piano piece for
ABRSM
The ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) is an examination board and registered charity based in the United Kingdom. ABRSM is one of five examination boards accredited by Ofqual to award graded exams and diploma qualificat ...
exams.
On 26 July 2007, at the Lithuanian embassy in London, record label
Toccata Classics released an album of the composer's works entitled "Peteris Plakidis: Music for String Orchestra" on which the composer was pianist. Reviews include a description of "''Music for Piano, String Orchestra and Timpani''" as a "
Bartók inspired (...) vehicle for nationalist and separatist feeling".
Personal life
Plakidis was married to opera and concert singer
Maija Krīgena. He died on 8 August 2017.
Selected works
Orchestral
* ''Music for Piano, String Orchestra and Timpani'' (1969)
* ''Atskatīšanās'' (Glance Back) for orchestra (1991)
* ''Dziedājums'' (Canto) for orchestra (1986)
* ''Dziedoša prelūdija un dancojoša fūga'' (Singing Prelude and Dancing Fugue) for orchestra (1994)
* ''Legend'' for orchestra (1976)
* ''Variations for Orchestra'' (1996)
Concertante
* ''Sasaukšanās'' (Interplay), Concerto for piccolo, flute, oboe, bass clarinet, horn and orchestra (1977)
* ''Concerto for Two Oboes and String Orchestra'' (1982)
* ''Koncerts balāde'' (Concerto Ballade) for two violins, piano and string orchestra (1984)
* ''Concerto da camera'' for string orchestra, two off-stage violins and piano (1992)
* ''Intrada'' for clarinet and orchestra (1992)
* ''Vēl viena Vēbera opera'' (One More Weber Opera) for clarinet and orchestra (1993)
* ''Brīvdabas mūzika'' (Open-Air Music) for violin and orchestra (2003)
* ''Pasticcio à la Rossini'' for cello and string orchestra (2006)
Chamber music
* ''Prelūdija un pulsācija'' (Prelude and Pulsation) for wind quintet (1975)
* ''Divas variācijas'' (Two Variations) for cello solo (1976)
* ''Detektīva epizode'' (Episode from a Crime Story) for violin, bassoon, cello and piano (1977)
* ''Divas skices'' (Two Sketches) for oboe solo (1977)
* ''Divas sienāža dejas'' (Two Grasshopper Dances), 2 children's pieces for violin (1978)
* ''Mazs koncerts'' (Little Concerto) for 2 violins (1991)
* ''Nakts sarunas'' (Night Conversations) for clarinet and piano (1992)
* ''Bezmiegs'' (Sleeplessness) for clarinet, cello and piano (1997)
* ''Ēnu dejas'' (Dances of the Shadows) for viola and piano (2007)
Vocal
* ''Div' buramdziesmas'' (Two Magical Songs) for mixed choir (1980)
* ''Fatamorgana'' for mixed choir (1980)
* ''Nolemtība'' (Destiny), choral symphony for mixed choir (1985)
* ''In Memoriam'' for mixed choir (1990); words by Broņislava Martuževa
* ''Dziesmas vējam un asinīm'' (Songs for the Wind and Blood) for mezzo-soprano and string orchestra (1991)
* ''Mūžība'' (Eternity) for mixed choir (1998); words by
Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš
Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš (25 August 1877 in Nereta – 25 August 1962 in Körbecke) was a Latvian writer and painter and one of the most popular authors of the first Republic of Latvia between the two world wars.
Biography
Between 1886–1892 h ...
References
;General
*
*
;Specific
External links
Peteris Plakidis
{{DEFAULTSORT:Plakadis, Peteris
1947 births
2017 deaths
Musicians from Riga
Latvian pianists
Latvian classical pianists
Latvian composers