- 26-year-old rising star and winner of the Vendome Prize at the 2019 Verbier Festival
- Rachmaninoff’s Etude-Tableaux Op. 39 No. 2 and Sonata No. 2 Op. 36
- World premiere recording of Latvian composer Imants Zemzaris’ Sonata No. 3 “Seagull”
- Release date: 20 November 2020
SKANi is to release the debut album from young Latvian rising star pianist Daumants Liepiņš who at the age of 26 has already established himself as one of the most promising pianists of his generation, winning major international piano competitions and performing at some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls and festivals.
In his debut recording, he pairs Rachmaninoff including the Sonata No. 2 – a work that featured in his winning performance at the Vendome Prize competition final at Verbier Festival last year - with the world premiere recording of a sonata by living Latvian composer, teacher and music critic, Imants Zemzaris.
Liepiņš’ programme choice is inspired by his time spent in Latvia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having had most of his concert performances cancelled over the summer months, he has spent much of his time walking outdoors including at one of his favourite places – the sandy beaches of his homeland. Listening to the seagulls and the waves on the Baltic coast he had the thought to pair Rachmaninoff's well known Etude-Tableaux Op. 39 No. 2, unofficially titled “The sea and the seagulls”, with Zemzaris’ “Seagull” Sonata.
Touted by Pianist magazine as one of the ‘Pianists to Look Out For in 2020’, Liepiņš has been prizewinner at a number of international competitions , including the Maria Canals Piano Competition (First Prize), the Nordic Piano Competition, the George Enescu International Piano Competition, the James Mottram International Piano Competition and the Tbilisi International Piano Competition (Special Prize for Artistry). One of Latvia’s most exciting musical exports, in 2017 he was awarded the Grand Prix of the Lielā Mūzikas Balva (Latvian National Grand Music Award) in the Young Artist of the Year category.
Daumants Liepiņš: Rachmaninoff, Zemzaris will be released (CD or download) on 20 November.