Kaspars Putninš

Kaspars Putniņš is Chief Conductor of the Swedish Radio Choir since 2020/21 and Artistic Director of the Latvian Radio Choir since 2024. He held the position of Chief Conductor of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (EPCC) from 2014 to 2021.

The Latvian conductor regularly appears with the RIAS Kammerchor, SWR Vokalensemble, Collegium Vocale Gent, Danish National Vocal Ensemble & Choir, Netherlands Radio Choir, NDR Vokalensemble, Flemish Radio Choir, Polish Chamber Choir, among others.

Whilst Putniņš’ work encompasses a wide range of choral repertoire from the polyphony of the Renaissance period through to romantic music, his foremost goal has always been to promote new outstanding choral music. He has forged close relationships with many Baltic and Nordic composers including Maija Einfelde, Mārtiņš Viļums, Gundega Šmite, Toivo Tulev, Lasse Thoresen, Gavin Bryars and Andris Dzenītis and has set standards with his interpretations. Putniņš has initiated several drama projects in collaboration with visual and theatre artists.

His large discography includes recordings of Pēteris Vasks’ “Mate Saule” for BIS Records, Jonathan Harvey’s “The Angels” for Hyperion, works by Bryars, Vasks, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Arturs Maskats and Valentin Silvestrov, all with the Latvian Radio Choir as well as the CD “New Latvian Harvest” with contemporary Latvian music with the Latvian Radio Chamber Singers.

BIS Records has released five albums with EPCC: Rachmaninov “Liturgy of St John Chrysostom”, Ülo Krigul “Liquid Turns”, Alfred Schnittke “Concerto for choir”, Arvo Pärt “Seven Magnificat Antiphons”, Franz Liszt “Via Crucis” and Arvo Pärt “Sacred choral works”, as well as an album with Schnittke “Psalms of Repentance” and Pärt “Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis”, which was awarded the Gramophone Award and Diapason d’Or in 2018. His album with Swedish Radio Choir, Schumann “Missa Sacra”, for BIS Record was awarded the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award) 1/2024.

He has also recorded Rachmaninov’s “The Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom” with the Flemish Radio Choir for Glossa Music. BIS Records released Rachmaninov’s “Vespers” with the Netherlands Chamber Choir. Putniņš has worked extensively with young singers and conductors in various projects and masterclasses, such as Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart, Vocaal Talent Nederland and Meesters&Gezellen. From 2013 to 2017 Putniņš has been Artistic Director of the Tenso Europe Chamber Choir.

Putniņš is recipient of the Latvian Grand Prix of Music and the Latvian Council of Ministers Award for Achievements in Culture and Science. For his devoted activity in the music life of Estonia as Chief Conductor of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Putniņš was given the Annual Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia in 2019.