"We breathe together!" is the moto of The University of Latvia Wind Band.
The University of Latvia Wind Band (LUPO) was established on 1 September 2008 by uniting over 50 young musicians from different universities and music schools in Latvia. The founder and chief conductor of the orchestra is the associated professor of Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music – Jānis Puriņš, the orchestra’s assistant conductor is Māra Lemkena.
LUPO is a concert orchestra that often participates in festivals and competitions, and performs solo as well. They participated in competitions not only in Latvia, but also in Lithuania, Czech Republic, Poland. In 2023 LUPO was awarded with the Main Award in the Finals of the Wind Band Competition of the Song and Dance Festival of Latvia (a UNESCO heritage).
Program
Janis Parins graduated from the Music Academy of Latvia (trumpet - 1984) and studied conducting (Symphony Orchestra). Since 1995 he's an associated professor of the wind orchestra conducting class at Latvian Academy of Music. From 1991 until 2007 he was the Artistic Director and the Principal Conductor of the professional Wind Orchestra RIGA. He also conducted students' bands in Northern Iowa, Brigham Young and Nebraska Omaha Universities in USA, bands in Sweden, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia.
Janis is an adjudicator and adjudicated at competitions in Norway, Estonia, Belgium and Lithuania. In 2008 he founded The University of Latvia Wind Band where he acts as Artistic Director. He's a member of the Board of Directors at World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) since 2017.
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