Address: Skanstes iela 21, Riga LV1013

The modern, multi-purpose Arēna Riga hall, with seating for up to 13 000 spectators, is one of Riga’s most popular venues. This is Riga's largest indoor venue and has hosted numerous concerts by world stars, including a production of Gustav Mahler's 8th symphony with two full symphony orchestras and six choirs.

Photos: Dmitrijs Sulzics, Kaspars Garda

Address: Amatu iela 6, Riga LV1050

The Great Guild Hall, is one of the oldest public buildings in the Baltics, its roots going back as far as the 14th century. Historically, the building has always been open to cultural, community and social events. After a fire in the building in 1963, a new lobby was added and the interior adapted for concert use, resulting in the Riga Philharmonic being established in the Latvian capital. Today, the Great Guild Hall continues to host concerts, conferences, seminars and even social events. It is also home to Latvia’s National Symphony Orchestra. The Great Hall and its balcony has 669 seats.

Photos: Andrejs Terentjevs, f64

Address: K. Valdemara iela 5, Riga LV1010

The Riga Congress Centre is located in the city centre. Historically, this building was built as a congress and conference centre for the needs of the Communist party. Originally called the House of Political Education, its rooms and library were used solely for Communist Party ideological events.

Constructed and opened in 1982 (the fountain was re-constructed in 2000), its 1200-seat conference hall and convenient city-centre location make the Riga Congress Centre a key public building. These days, the Congress Centre regularly hosts concerts by visiting and local artists, dance and theatre performances, and many other types of cultural programmes and events.

Photos: Riga2017, f64

Address: Raina bulvaris 19, 1050 Riga

The Great Hall of the University of Latvia was opened and consecrated on 28 September 1935. The hall, with a classic 1930s interior, is graded as an architectural monument. The interior is of symmetrical construction, with columns and balconies along its edges. It also features ancient architectural forms – a variety of ornamental motifs and column capitals.

The Great Hall has been an important venue since its opening, not only for the university but also for the development of choral music in Latvia. Every five years, it hosts a key event of Latvia’s magnificent Song Celebration, the amateur choir competition. It is also the venue for regular local and international classical music concerts. Including the balcony, the hall can accommodate more than 700 spectators.

Photos: f64

Address: K. Barona iela 1, Riga LV1050

Constructed in 1873, the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music is located in the heart of Riga.

The Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music was founded on 20 August 1919. Its first rector was the composer Jazeps Vitols, many of whose choral pieces have become classics. Its graduates include many noteworthy composers, performing artists and academics of the Latvian music world.

The building, which has been declared a cultural monument, is equipped with modern facilities suitable for different events. The Academy’s facilities are particularly suitable for concerts. At the start of 2014, the Academy began using its new three manual organ, built in Latvia.

Photos: f64

Address: Skarnu iela 19, Riga LV1050

Riga’s St. Peter’s Church is the city’s tallest church (Tower – 123 m), as well as a remarkable 13th-century Gothic archi-tectural monument of national significance, first built in 1209. Riga’s first public clock was installed in St. Peter’s Church tower in 1352. A city guard stood in the church tower, ready to warn of any dangers threatening the city or fire.

The tower of St. Peter’s Church has been rebuilt several times, lightning having struck it six times.

Johann Gottfried Muthel, J.S. Bach's last pupil, was the church organist from 1767 to 1788. Since 1991, St. Peter’s Church has been home to the St. Peter’s Church congregation of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Today the church is used for concerts, themed exhibitions, art exhibitions, cultural events, as well as being an international cultural tourism attraction, open to visitors on a daily basis.

Photos: f64

Address: Jana iela 7, Riga LV1050

The church is an architectural monument of national importance, being the only church whose walls are supported by the foundations of the castle of Bishop Albert, the founder of Riga. Today, St. John's Church serves not only as a church but as a venue for concerts of sacred choral and organ music.

Photos: f64

Address: Amatu iela 3-5, Riga LV1050

The Small Guild Hall is located in the heart of the Old Town by Līvu laukums, directly opposite the Liela Gilde (Great Guild Hall). The building was designed by the great architect Johann Daniel Felsko. Its foundation stone was laid in 1864 and it was opened in 1888. The opulent interior is particularly noteworthy, fittingly renovated and restored between 1999 and 2000. All of the Small Guild Hall’s decor has been restored according to the 19th century original, on the basis of documents and photographs. Today, the hall hosts celebratory events, conferences, concerts, balls and presentations.

The Small Guild Hall also operates as a cultural and folk art centre, hosting a variety of cultural organisations – children’s, youth and seniors’ amateur groups, vocal ensembles, applied folk art and fine art studios, amateur theatre, instrumental ensembles and a folkloric group.

Photos: f64

Address: Mukusalas iela 3, Riga, LV-1423, Latvia

On the 1st level of the National Library of Latvia is Ziedonis Hall which seats anywhere from 357 to 462 individuals. The Hall has excellent acoustics and is recognized as perfectly suitable for chamber music, choral music, and acoustic musical sounds. The main building of the National Library of Latvia, also called Light Castle (Gaismas Pils), was opened to the public in 2014.

The internationally recognized Latvian born architect Gunara Birketa, whose designs were used in countless public buildings around the world, such as: university building, libraries, museums (Corning Glass Museum, Kansas City Contemporary Art Museum, the Federal Reserve in Minneapolis), received the Chicago Architecture Museum Award in 2000 for her work on the National Library of Latvia.

The more than 4 million piece National Library of Latvia compilation is our national collection of both domestic and international publications about Latvia and Latvians, and works by Latvian authors. The National Library of Latvia also houses one of the most important Latvian heritage items, Krisjana Barona Cabinet of Folksongs; which has been added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World list. In the first half of 2015 the main building of the National Library of Latvia hosted the Presidency of the Council of the European Union events.

Photos: Riga2017

Address: Stabu iela 10-4, Riga, LV-1010, Latvia

Built in 1909, the Art Nouveau building is a local architectural monument; which was previously used as a Navy Academy. While commemorating its 100th anniversary, this building underwent reconstruction and renovation work. Since 2009 the building is home to Jazepa Medina Riga’s 1st Music School, attended by 700 students and one of the leading boy choirs; which, this year, is celebrating its 35th anniversary. The building has a renovated concert hall with 250 seats, large rehearsal rooms and rooms especially suited for choirs and orchestras.

Jazepa Medina Riga’s 1st Music School beginnings date back to 1927, when a children’s music training camp, Musical Children’s Garden, was organized at the Latvian Conservatory. In 1941 Riga’s Conservatory was renamed to Riga’s State College of Music, however, in 1947 its name changed to one of Latvia’s classical composer’s: Jazeps Medins.

Photos: Raimo Lielbriedis

The Dzintari Concert Hall in Jurmala will be one of the venues for Friendship Concerts in Latvia. The concert hall has a long tradition; its story began at the end of the 19th century with a lively concert life, experienced many historical crisis’ like World War I + II, and is today one of the most popular concert venues in Latvia with an increasing amount of concerts by every season since 2000.

Photos: Ansis Starks

The GORS cultural center, which will be one of the venues for Friendship Concerts, is located in Rezekne, in the Latgale region in the east of Latvia. This region is characterized by its multicultural environment. The “Gors” event center considers itself as “The Embassy of Latgale” and hosts two of the most modern concert halls in the Baltic region, which stand out due to its excellent acoustics. Choirs will perform in the Great Hall named “Gors” with 1,000 seats and 3,000 standing places.

Photos: Andrejs Vasjukevics, Indrikis Sturmanis

Liepaja is located at the Baltic Sea and has a broad sandy beach, which is absolutely a sight to see. In 2015 the city’s wish to have an own concert hall has come true. The “Great Amber” has been constructed and is now a regional center of culture and events and will host one of the Friendship Concerts.

“Its architecture is a portrait of music, frozen in time and amber”, is stated on the website and refers to the center’s architectural concept. This is based on amber, the symbol of Latvia and the Baltic Sea, and also focuses on the concert hall’s function as cultural and arts center. Of course, the architecture is accompanied by outstanding acoustics.

Photos: Indrikis Sturmanis, edgarsfoto

The sound of international choirs will also be heard in the North of Latvia, namely in Cesis. The city is situated in the north of the Gauja National Park, Latvia’s largest national park. Both the building’s visual image and its event program are dedicated to find a perfect balance between old history and contemporary, modern arts.

The Cesis Concert Hall regularly hosts famous contemporary musicians like violist Gidon Kremer or the contemporary composer Gabriel Prokofiev, and will also warmly welcome the international choirs for Friendship Concerts in July 2017.

Photos: Riga2017