Krista Audere is a conductor of Latvian origin, now based in the Netherlands. She is currently the conductor of the VU-Kamerkoor, Kamerkoor Venus, and is regularly engaged as a guest conductor of the Dutch Chamber Choir, the Dutch Radio Choir and Cappella Amsterdam.

Krista Audere is the winner of the Eric Ericson award 2021.

In the 2022/23 season she has engagements with RIAS Chamber Choir, State Choir Latvia, the Swedish Radio Choir, the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir, the Bavarian Radio Choir, the Helsinki Chamber Choir, the Danish National Vocal Ensemble, the Choeur de Radio France and the BBC Singers.

Krista Audere (1989) graduated from Riga Dom choir school where she gained qualifications as a choir master and choral singer. She then attained the Bachelor’s degree in choral conducting at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music while enriching her musical experience at the University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart. In 2016 Krista obtained the Masters diploma and graduated cum laude at the Amsterdam University of the Arts. As a singer she has collaborated with the Latvian Radio Choir and Cappella Amsterdam.

Hans van den Brand studied Music in Education, Piano and Choral Conducting at the Brabants Conservatorium Tilburg. He attended master classes in Orchestral conducting (Lucas Vis -NL), Opera conducting (Miescyslaw Dondajeweski - PL) and Arranging (Damon Meader, Steve Zegree - USA), Vocal Jazz & Pop (Darmon Meader, Kim Nazarian, Michele Weir-USA, Matthias Becker – GER, Peder Karlsson – SE, Jim Daus Hjernøe, Jesper Holm - DK).

In 1978 Hans founded vocal jazz group Kluster which was successful in The Netherlands and abroad. He conducted the ‘Souvenir des Montagnards’ opera choir (’89-’02) and created many interesting opera, operetta and musical productions. From ’94 till ’01 Hans was artistic leader of the Zuid-Nederlands Kamerkoor with a focus on performing the passions from J.S. Bach and contemporary repertoire. Hans was also the conductor and musical leader from several promising Dutch vocal groups.

In ’08-’09 he was the MD of one of the most famous Dutch musicals Ciske de Rat, a production of Stage Entertainment Holland.

Hans is academic teacher in Conducting Choir & Ensemble, both at at the Conservatory of Amsterdam as the Fontys School of Fine Arts. He supervises the choirs at both institutes.

In 2003 Hans founded the Fontys Jazz Choir, 12 vocalists with a healthy ambition in singing and performing jazz, pop, gospel and fusion repertoire from the highest musical standard. The choir won the Dutch TV Competion ‘Battle of the Choirs’ in 2010, toured through China during the 10th anniversary in 2013 and won two gold medals (jazz and pop) during the World Choir Games in Riga 2014. In October 2015 the choir won the BALK Top Festival Direct Mics Competition and was with the highest scores over all winner of the Festival. In July 2016 the Fontys Jazz Choir became world champion the Jazz Category of the World Choir Games in Sochi (RUS).

Hans was the artistic leader of five editions of the International Vocal Group Festival Holland (’96-’02) and is a well-known adjudicator, clinician and coach at national and international choral festivals.

He was the guest conductor at the International Singing Week (Europa Cantat–Nevers-F) and workshop leader Vocal Jazz in Curacao (NL). He is de co-founder of the Vocal Pop & Jazz Days (Soesterberg–NL) and guest teacher at the Choral Conducting Course from BALK (Dutch choral organisation for pop, jazz, gospel and musical choirs).

While studying piano and composition at the conservatories of Brussels and Antwerp, Maarten Van Ingelgem (b. 1976) caught the choir bug. In 2001, he started conducting the Ghent-based chamber choir for contemporary music De 2de Adem (The Second Wind). So far, he has performed almost 50 premieres with them. Furthermore, he was one of the bass singers in Aquarius and was regularly invited to conduct or reinforce the bass section of ensembles such as the Brussels Chamber Choir and the Flemish Radio Choir.

His oeuvre as a composer ranges from solo work to string quartets, from a chamber opera to a piano concerto. The Belgian author society Sabam honored him with a Golden Poppy for his choral oeuvre, and, three times, he became laureate of the European Award for Choral Composers.

He works as a pianist-accompanist and shares his passion for creativity in his role as Professor of Composition at LUCA School of Arts, Leuven.

He was Artistic Director of the World Choir Games Flanders 2021.

Aira Birziņa is a professor of choral conducting at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music (JVLMA), a conductor of the Riga Cathedral Girls' Choir TIARA, the female choir DZINTARS of the VEF Culture Palace and the female choir RASA of the Ogre Cultural Center. Conductor of the Latvian Song and Dance Festival (XXIII, XXIV, XXV, XXVI). She leads various workshops, participates in conferences, and works as a jury member at the international competitions in Latvia and abroad.

Aira Birziņa was awarded with the Acknowledgment of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia in 2018, the Order of the Three Stars in 2015, the Annual Award of the Ogre County Cultural Center "Golden Linden 2018", the Annual Culture Prize of the Ogre County Culture Center in 2017, Culture Prize "White Sparrow" of the Riga Municipality in 2015, and the Ministry of Culture's Prize in Folk Art in 1999.

Guntars Prānis is rector and professor at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and leader of many master classes in early music as well as a much-demanded lector in Latvia and abroad.

He is a conductor, singer, musicologist and the founder and artistic director of the Schola Cantorum Riga – an internationally acknowledged professional vocal group which performs regularly in Latvia and abroad. In 2017 the group has been nominated for the Latvian Grand Prix Award in music. Schola Cantorum Riga has released many recordings.

From 2000 to 2017, Guntars Prānis has been music director at the Dome Cathedral in Riga, leading its musical life with choirs and orchestras and taking part in various international projects. He launched the tradition of summer courses related to Gregorian chant, and he has been the artistic director of the project since 1992. He is also a member of the International AISCGre association, which studies sacred music and involves scholars from all over the world.