Live singing masterclass with Benjamin Appl & student Viktorija Pakalniece / RJAcademy 2020/21

Live singing masterclass of the Riga Jurmala Online Music Academy with baritone Benjamin Appl! Hailed as ‘the most promising of today’s up-and-coming song recitalists’ (Financial Times), baritone Benjamin Appl is celebrated by audiences and critics alike for a voice that ‘belongs to the last of the old great masters of song’ with ‘an almost infinite range of colours’ (Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin), ‘exacting attention to text’ (The New York Times), and artistry that’s described as ‘unbearably moving’ (The Times). Named Gramophone Award Young Artist of the Year in 2016, Appl was a member of the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme from 2014-16, as well as a Wigmore Hall Emerging Artist and ECHO Rising Star for the 2015-16 season, appearing at major venues throughout Europe, including the Barbican Centre London, Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Wiener Konzerthaus, Philharmonie de Paris and Cologne and the Laeiszhalle Hamburg. He signed exclusively to Sony Classical in May 2016. In summer of 2019 Benjamin Appl performed on the Riga Jurmala Music Festival's stage as well. Read more about the artist: http://benjaminappl.com/#about ________________________________________________________ Student of the masterclass: Viktorija Pakalniece, Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, doc.A.Rūrāne class / accompanist V.Rinkule Repertoire: J.S. Bach / Ch. Gounod - "Ave Maria" G. Verdi - Violetta's aria "E strano..." from "La traviata" Viktorija Pakalniece is a young, talented Latvian opera singer. She graduated from the Vocal Department of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in 2019, and is currently continuing her master’s studies under Aira Rūrāne. Viktorija’s debut role at the Latvian National Opera was Lelde in Imants Kalniņš’ opera I Played, I Danced. She has taken part several times in the Sigulda Opera Music Festival, as well as various concerts, events and performances. Most recently, she sang the soprano solo in Richard Strauss’ Deutsche Motette with State Choir LATVIJA and Māris Sirmais. Viktorija regularly collaborates with world-renowned vocal teachers and singers, including Marina Rebeka, Inga Kalna and others. ________________________________________________________ www.riga-jurmala.com