Dubra,
Rihards (1964)
Biography
Works
Rihards Dubra was born on February 28th, 1964, in Riga. He first studied music at the Jūrmala School of Music, before moving to the Emīls Dārziņš College of Music, where his instructors in composition were Jāzeps Lipšāns and Ģederts Ramans. In 1989, he graduated from the Latvian State Conservatory composition class under Ādolfs Skulte (as an elective he studied symphony orchestra conducting under Aleksandrs Viļumanis), and in 1996 earned his master’s degree at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music under Juris Karlsons.
From 1985 to 2015, Dubra taught harmony and composition at the Jūrmala School of Music. Since 2016, he has taught music theory and composition at the Ventspils Music Secondary School. His other sphere of work involves the organ and liturgy. Rihards Dubra was the organist at the Riga Our Lady of Suffering Church, and, as of 1999, he is the cantor of the Riga St. Mary Magdalene Church.
The most recent works of Rihards Dubra are closely linked with sacred music. All of his works have spiritual content as their foundation, whether they are vocal or instrumental. The composer’s style includes both minimalist, Gregorian, Renaissance and Baroque influences, not just in terms of intonation and exposition, but also, and primarily, in terms of philosophy. Meanwhile, this fusion becomes Romantic as a result.
Dubra’s choral works and vocal-instrumental compositions are heard at international festivals and concerts worldwide. The composer received the Latvian Great Music Award in 2003.