Andrejs Selickis

"The person who is not familiar with the rare sweetness of a true prayer has not heard the singing of the Angels. Their songs cannot be heard directly, it is reflected only in a pure heart as an inaudible melody of the Heavenly Light."

[From the book Žizneopisanije ieromonaha Vasilija (Rosljakova) (The Life Story of the Hierophant Vasilij (Rosljakov)), 2001, about a contemporary (1960–1993) hierophant and martyr, but also an actual Composer, since he created and performed his life until the end – until the eternal Life, together with God and the Angels.]

Andrejs Selickis was born on February 13th, 1960 in Daugavpils. At the age of six, he began violin studies at the Ogre Music School with Lilita Ronka. After moving to Riga, he continued studies at the Jāzeps Mediņš Music School (including solfeggio with Valda Kazāka). From 1975 to 1979 he studied at the Jāzeps Mediņš College of Music, where he finished the music theory program (theory with Maija Kurme, composition with Tamāra Kalna). At the end of the 70’s, there were fateful meetings with Arvo Pärt until his departure from the Soviet Union in 1980. In 1979 he was acquainted with Artūrs Grīnups and met with the composer until his death in 1989. From 1979 to 1986, he studied at the Latvian State Conservatory in the composition department in Pēteris Plakidis’s class and graduated that. Since finishing the Conservatory, Andrejs Selickis has been a self employed artist. He serves the Latvian Orthodox Church (as a regent and psalmist for many congregations). He has received the Latvian Great Music Award 2015.

Andrejs Selickis, Mārīte Dombrovska © LMIC