Tālivaldis Deksnis

Tālivaldis Deksnis started his musical career as a promising concert pianist in the seventies after graduating the Latvian Academy of Music. At the same time, he was deeply concerned with the condition of church organs in Latvia, thus becoming one of the few experts in organ building in Latvia. He has examined, restored and tuned organs in many towns and villages. Due to his interest, Deksnis entered the Latvian Academy of Music for the second time, graduating the organ class in 1983. Since then, he has mastered a wide repertoire of organ music from all eras, including a large number of 20th century compositions by Messiaen, Eben, Hakim, and especially new compositions of Latvian composers, and has received the Latvian Composers’ Union Prize. He has performed in Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Italy, the USA, Canada, Germany, Denmark, France, Australia, China, etc. He is now a Professor and the Head of the Organ Department at the Latvian Academy of Music and, since 1984, is a concert organist at the famous Riga Cathedral. Tālivaldis Deksnis received the Latvian Great Music Award in 1996. He has a number of radio and TV recordings, LPs and CDs.