Ruta Vintule

(06.01.1944 )

“The language of music – it is the most varied and expressive of all the world’s languages.”

Ruta Vintule (Skudra)

Ruta Vintule (Skudra) was born on January 6th, 1944 in Riga. Her interest in music was encouraged by her father Ēvalds Skudra, who in his time was the choirmaster of the Riga Operetta Theatre. The composer learned music principles at the 1st Children’s Music School of Riga, in the piano class of Zenta Lielmane (1951–1956), and later at the Emīls Dārziņš College of Music – first in Lea Abramoviča’s piano class (1956–1960), after that in the music theory department (1960–1962), where she studied composition with Ģederts Ramans. In 1962, R. Vintule entered the Latvian State Conservatory in the composition class of Jānis Ivanovs, and completed that in 1967. She was an accompanist in the Latvian State Conservatory Music Instruction department (1962–1972) and for the women’s choir Dzintars (1967–1996). At this time, R. Vintule is an accompanist for the State Academic Choir Latvija (as of 1968), and for the Riga Council Choir School choir conducting department (as of 1996). In 1982, she was named as an Honoured Stage Artist. The main focus of her composition is for chamber genres and choir music, with a notable amount written for mixed and women’s choirs. R. Vintule’s works are characterized by lyrical expression, romanticism, and a musical language rooted in impressionistic traditions.