Pauls Miervaldis Dambis

“Music – as an ingredient in my existence, as a form of exploring reality; in other words, while there is music – I will continue to live.”

The music of P. Dambis is characterised by intellectualism, the intonative uniqueness of Latvian folk music is expressed in it, as well as an interest in Renaissance art and 20th century compositional techniques.

BIOGRAPHY

Pauls Miervaldis Dambis – composer, teacher, conductor – was born on June 30th, 1936 in Riga. He studied at the Riga 15th Primary School, and the 1st Children’s Music School. From 1952, he studied organ performance with Estere Didrihsone, the organist at the Riga St. Paul’s Church. In 1954, he enrolled and, until 1957, studied at the Jelgava College of Music Choir Conducting department with Jānis Kaijaks. During this time, he played the organ at the Jelgava St. Anna Church, he was the artistic director of the Jelgava region culture centre, as well as the conductor of many choirs, and wrote about musical questions for the newspaper Zemgales Komunists.

From 1957 to 1962, he studied in the composition department of the Latvian State Conservatory, where he graduated the class of Valentīns Utkins with the cantata Dzimtenes ūdeņi sauc (The Waters of the Homeland Call). During his studies, he was the lead conductor of the choirs of Ludza, Limbaži, and Jūrmala, as well as leading a vocal trio and being their piano accompanist. From 1960 to 1962, P. Dambis was the director of the Drama Theatre music division, and from 1964 to 1968, he was the sound director and composer for the TV film union Telefilma Rīga. As of 1966, P. Dambis is a member of the Latvian Composers’ Union, and was deputy director of the board (1968-1978), and director of the board (1984-1989). From 1972, he was a lecturer at the Latvian State Conservatory, later, at the Latvian Academy of Music, as of 1979, an associate professor, from 1987 to 1993, a professor of the composition department, from 1982 to 1989 – also the director. Among his students were: Leons Amoliņš, Ilona Breģe, Selga Mence, Valdis Zilveris, Marina Gribinčika, among others. P. Dambis taught composition also at the Emīls Dārziņš College of Music (1962-1974) and as of 1994, he teaches it to students of the Riga Dome Cathedral Choir School.

In 1990, he finished art management studies at City University, New York, in the United States, and in 1994 – music direction studies at Institut für Musik und ihre Didaktik in Flensburg, Germany. From 1993 to 1994, he was the music director in the state of Schleswig-Holstein in the city of Egebeck, Germany. As of 1994, he teaches music history and art management courses at the Latvian Academy of Culture, as of 1998, he is a professor there. From 1991 to 1993, P. Dambis was the chairman of the Latvian Music School Teachers’ Association. As of 1994, he is a member of the Latvian Academic Teachers and Scientists’ Union.

P. Dambis has won awards at the Soviet Union young composers competitions in 1971 and 1975. He has won awards for his music for the films Dzīvais māls (Living Clay, 1966, Kiev), Bez leģendām (Without Legends, 1968, Moscow); theatre productions: Aleksandr Vampilov’s Pīļu medības (Duck Hunting, 1976, Moscow), William Shakespeare’s Karalis Līrs (King Lear, 1977, Moscow) and William Shakespeare’s Hamlets (Hamlet, 1988, Leningrad). In 1990, he was awarded 2nd prize at a music competition in the United States, in 1991 he was given an award by the Latvian Composers’ Union. In 1995, he was awarded a grant by the LKF (Stockholm), in 1997, a grant in music from the World Association of Free Latvians. In 2000, he was awarded first place in the International Nordic composer’s Competition in Oslo. From 1970 to 1996, many P. Dambis author concerts were given in Riga and many different former Soviet Union cities, as well as in the United States, the Czech Republic, Canada, and Germany.

In 1975, P. Dambis was awarded the honour of Latvian SSR Great Artist, and in 1987, the title of Latvian SSR People’s Artist. Rūta Celma’s film newsreel Māksla (1987, no. 4) was dedicated to him. As of 1991, P. Dambis regularly writes about music questions in the newspapers Laiks and Latvija Amerikā.


WRITINGS, BOOKS

Mūzikas menedžments un menedžeris darbībā (Music Management and the Manager at Work), 1992, manuscript
Par bērnu muzikālās audzināšanas intensificēšanu (About the Intensification of Children’s Musical Education), 1993, manuscript
Mūzikas bizness ASV un Eiropā (The Music Business in the United States and Europe), 1996, manuscript
Klusuma, telpas, krāsas un skaņu spēles (Silence, Room, Colour and Sound Games) [textbook for composition and improvisation courses], 1997, manuscript
Composer and Folktune, 1982, manuscript
Studies of Latvian Music, 1990, manuscript
20. gadsimta mūzikas vēsture: Ceļi un krustceļi (20th Century Music History: Roads and Crossroads) – Riga: Zvaigzne ABC, 2003
and others


DISCOGRAPHY
LP

Jūras dziesmas (Songs of the Sea) / the chamber choir Ave Sol, Conductor Imants Kokars – 6’59”// Latviešu dziesmas. Kamerkoris Ave Sol – 1972, Melodija, 33CM-03375-76

Stanza di Michelangelo / The Latvian SSR State Academic Choir, Conductor Imants Cepītis – 18’03” // Latvijas PSR Valsts Akadēmiskais koris – 1973, Melodija, C30-05336

Karavīru dziesma (Soldiers’ Song) / the men’s choir Dziedonis, Conductor Imants Kokars – 2’52” // Vīru koris Dziedonis. Diriģents Imants Kokars – 1976, Melodija, C60-06358


CD

Nīcas ganu balss (The Voice of a Shepherd from Nīca) from the cycle Ganu balsis (Shepherds’ Voices) – 3’25”/ Ar brālīti dancot gāju (I Went Dancing with My Brother) - 3’10” / Ziemas spēles (Winter Games) – 5’25”/ Danču dziesmas (Dance Songs) – 8’49”/ the chamber choir Ave Sol, Conductor Imants Kokars // Dainu zemē – 1995, DCM Sweden, Ref. No AG 9502

Kristus atnākšana (The Coming of Christ) / Dita Kalniņa (soprano), the chamber choir Sacrum, Aivars Kalējs (organ), Conductor Andris Veismanis – 6’14” // Latviešu mūsdienu kora mūzika – 1996, Riga Sound Recording Studio, RS 009

Vakars nāca – 2’10” / The youth choir Balsis, Conductors Agita Ikauniece, Ints Teterovskis // Mūzai. XXII Vispārējo Latviešu Dziesmu svētku dziesmas dzied labākie Latvijas kori – 1998, ADF 001

Lūgšana (Prayer) – 2’11” / Dziesma māsai nāvei (A Song for Sister Death) – 2’56” [from the cycle Canti Franciscani] / The Latvian Radio Choir // Latviešu mūzika Rīgā. Latvijas Radio koris – 1999, LR CD 031

Jūras dziesmas (Songs of the Sea) / the chamber choir Ave Sol, Conductor Imants Kokars – 7’21” // Latviešu kordziesmas antoloģija IV. Apliecinājums – 2000, Latvijas Radio, LR-0002

Nīcas ganu balss (The Voice of a Shepherd from Nīca) – 2’35’ / Ar brālīti dancot gāju (I Went Dancing with My Brother) – 3’14” / Ziemas spēles (Winter Games) – 7’04” / the chamber choir Ave Sol, Conductor Imants Kokars // Latviešu kordziesmas antoloģija IX. Sudrabiņa lietiņš lija – 2001, Latvian Radio, LR 0101

Lux mundi – 7’15” / Dziesma smilgai (A Song for a Blade of Grass) – 5’44”/ the chamber choir Ave Sol, Conductor Imants Kokars // Latviešu kordziesmas antoloģija V. Mūžība – 2002, Latvian Radio, LR-0201

The 19th, 22nd, and 121st Psalms / the chamber choir Ave Sol, Conductor Imants Kokars // Latviešu kordziesmas antoloģija XII. Dvēseles ceļi – 2003, Latvian Radio, LR-0103


LITERATURE

L. Kārkliņš, Simfoniskie darbi latviešu mūzikā (Symphonic Works in Latvian Music). – Riga: Liesma, 1973, 292 • L. Kārkliņš, Plašumā un dziļumā: Pārdomas pēc Paula Dambja autorkoncerta (In Spaciousness and in Depth: Thoughts after Pauls Dambis’ Author Concert) // Literatūra un Māksla, June 15th, 1974 • N. Grīnfelds, Padomju Latvijas! Mūzika (Music of Soviet Latvia!). – Riga: Liesma, 1976, 222 • Dz. Purene, Vēstules nākamībai (Letters for the Future) // Karogs, 1976, 3, 184 • L. Kārkliņš, Paula Dambja jaunākie kora mūzikas cikli (The Newest Choir Music Cycles of Pauls Dambis) // Literatūra un Māksla, August 14th, 1976 • I. Lūsiņa, Par faktūras un mūzikas tēlu vienību (About the Union of Textures and the Image of Music) // Literatūra un Māksla, November 2nd, 1977 • V. Kļaviņa, A. Janevica, Latviešu mūzikas literatūra (Literature of Latvian Music). – Riga: Zvaigzne, 1980, 261 • O. Grāvītis, Vokālās kamermūzikas daudzsološi atzari (The Promising Branches of Vocal Chamber Music) // Literatūra un Māksla, April 10th, 1981 • L. Jakovicka, “Latvijas putnu balsis” Maskavā (“The Voices of Latvian Birds” in Moscow) // Rīgas Balss, February 26th, 1985 • Padomju Latvijas Mūzikas festivāls 1986 (Soviet Latvia’s Music Festival 1986). – Riga: Avots, 1986, 10 • V. Briede, No visuma līdz dvēsles dzīlēm slēptām (From the Universe to the Hidden Depths of the Soul) // Cīņa, April 12th, 1986 • S. Pļavniece, Ieaudzis tautasdziesmā (Grown into a Folk Song) // Padomju Jaunatne, July 1st, 1986 • A. Rozeniece, Mūzikā – cilvēka lielums (Music – the Greatness of a Person) // Cīņa, January 31st, 1986 • L. Sarkane, Komponista jubileju ieskandinot (Sounding in the Composer’s Birthday) // Rigas Balss, February 17th, 1986 • I. Zemzare, Paula Dambja autorkoncertā (The Author Concert of Pauls Dambis) // Literatūra un Māksla, February 7th, 1986 • I. Zemzare, Priekšvārds neuzrakstītai grāmatai par Paulu Dambi (An Introduction to an Unwritten Book About Pauls Dambis) // Māksla, 1986, no. 2, 26 • I. Zemzare, Par P. Dambja radošā darba vakariem Krievu drāmas teātrī un konservatorijā (About the Evenings of Pauls Dambis’ Creative Work in the Russian Drama Theatre) // Māksla, 1987, no. 2, 78 • Latviešu komponisti un muzikologi (Latvian Composers and Musicologists) [compiled by L. Fūrmane]. – Riga: LKS, 1989, 30 • I. Zemzare, Paula Dambja spēles (The Games of Pauls Dambis). – Riga: Liesma, 1990 • A. Šturms, Paula Dambja mūzika Ņujorkā (The Music of Pauls Dambis in New York) // Laiks, November 7th, 1990 • B. Kalna, Par mūziķu nokļūšanu Eiropā un dienišķo maizi (About Music’s Travel to Europe and Daily Bread) // Izglītība, January 9th, 1992 • J. Rokpelnis, Matīsielas zaļumnieki (The holiday-makers`of Matīsa Street) // Rīgas iedzimtie. – Riga: Nordik, 1997, 187 • The encyclopedia Teātris un kino biogrāfijās (Theatre and Film Biographies), Part I – Riga: Preses nams, 1999 • J. Torgāns, Dambis, Pauls // Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart. Allgemeine Enzyklopädie der Musik. Personenteil: 5. – Kassel [etc.]: Bärenreiter; Stuttgart, Weimar: Metzler, 1999 •
Lūsiņa, Paula Dambja mūzikas apgaismība (The Enlightenment of the Music of Pauls Dambis) // Diena, June 26th, 2000 • L. Lukševica, Gribētos, lai mūzika mūs sargātu (I Would Like that Music Would Protect Us) // Literatūra un Māksla Latvijā, January 25th, 2001 • A. Klotiņš, Dambis, Pauls // The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Second Edition. Volume 6. – London: Grove, 2001