The mixed choir JUVENTUS of the University of Latvia, founded in 1920, is the country’s oldest university choir and has consistently been one of the strongest and most recognized amateur choirs in Latvia. Since 2014, Valdis Tomsons has served as its Artistic Director, alongside vocal teacher Nataliia Behma and choirmaster Ruta Oleksa. JUVENTUS takes pride in its achievements and recognition, having participated in numerous local and international competitions:

• In 2023, the semi-finals of the Let The Peoples Sing (in 2024, was announced as one of the four finalists for the competition’s final in October)
• In 2023, the finals of the Latvian Song and Dance Festival Choir Contest Koru kari (1st in the mixed choir category)
• In 2023, 17th International Choir Competition Gallus – Maribor (5th place)
• In 2019, International Choir Symposium and Festival on Jeju Island, South Korea
• In 2018, Mundus Cantat 2018 (Grand Prix, 1st in the mixed choir category)
• In 2017, 53rd International Choir Festival in Montreux (Grand Prix, 1st in the mixed choir category)

As part of its active concert activities, JUVENTUS has collaborated with both academic and popular music professionals. The choir has performed on major and has delighted foreign visitors of Latvia with the tradition of Latvian choral singing.
In 2020, JUVENTUS celebrated its 100th anniversary, during which in 2022 it premiered and released the album “Jauns sākums” featuring 12 new compositions by Latvian composers dedicated to the choir’s centenary. The celebration cycle concluded on October 21, 2023, with the concert “Kopība”. The second part of the concert was dedicated to the premiere of “Kopiba”, an opus written by Rihards Zalupe, specially for JUVENTUS.

Website: https://juventus.lv/