Biography

Maija Einfelde was born in Valmiera

Valmiera

Valmiera is the largest city of the historical Vidzeme region, Latvia, with a total area of 18.1 km². It is the center of the Valmiera District. As of 2002, Valmiera had a population of 27,323, and in 2008 – 27,569....

, Latvia

Latvia

Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...

, and began her music studies with her mother who was a church organist. She continued her education at Alfreds Kalnins Music School in Cēsis

Cesis

Cēsis , is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Central Vidzeme Upland. Cēsis is on the Gauja River valley, and is built on a series of ridges above the river overlooking the woods below...

, at Jazeps Medins Music College in Riga

Riga

Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...

, and then entered the Conservatoire of Latvia in 1966, studying composition with Janis Ivanovs

Janis Ivanovs

Jānis Ivanovs was a Soviet Latvian classical music composer.In 1931, he graduated from the Latvian State Conservatory in Riga. In 1944, he joined the conservatory's faculty, becoming a full professor in 1955. He is regarded as being the most distinguished Latvian symphonist...

. After graduating, she has taught music theory and composition at Alfreds Kalnins Music School in Cēsis, Emils Darzins Music College and Jazeps Medins Music College. She has one son, writer Janis Einfelde.

Einfelde's works have been performed internationally, including performances by the Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...

 Choir, the Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

 Chamber Choir, the Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...

 Chorale in USA, the Radio Choir of the Netherlands, and at Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....

, New York City.

Honors and awards

• First Prize, Barlow Endowement for Music Competition, 1997
• Grand Music Prize of Latvia, 1997
• Award of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, 1999

Works

Einfelde composes mainly choral, organ and chamber music. Selected works include:

• 1982 Sonāte meditācija (Sonata-Meditation) for viola and piano
• 1985 Second Sonata for violin and piano
• 1989 Crucifixus for solo organ
• 1990 Lullaby, for women's choir
• 1993 String Quartet for two violin, viola and violoncello
• 1994 Ave Maria for organ
• 1994 Adagio for violin, cello, and piano
• 1994 Pirms saules rieta (Before the Sunset) for clarinet, viola and piano
• 1995 Ave Maria for woman's choir and organ
• 1996 Pie zemes tālās... (At the Edge of the Earth...), chamber oratorio for mixed choir
• 1998 Ave Maria for mixed choir and organ
• 1998 Psalm 15 for mixed choir
• 1999 Sanctus for solo organ
• 1999 Prelūdija (Prelude) for oboe and viola
• 2000 Skerco (Scherzo) for solo violoncello
• 2002 Noktirne (Nocturne) for harp
• 2003 Cikls ar Friča Bārdas dzeju (Three Poems by Fricis Bārda) for mixed choir
• 2006 Divas mīlas dziemsas (Two Love Songs) 12 voices
• 2002 Symphony

Her compositions have been recorded and issued on CD including:

• No Tevis (From You) // Female Choir Dzintars – 1995, Riga Recording Studio
• Ave Maria // Female Choir Dzintars – [1996/97]
• Trīs jūras dziesmas (Three Songs of the Sea) for oboe, French horn, and string orchestra // Rīgas kamermūziķi [Compilation of 20th Century Latvian music] – 1998, BRIZE
• Gloria for piccolo trumpet and organ / mit Edwart H. Tarr, Irmtraud Krüger, 1998, KREUZ PLUS: MUSIK, BEST. NR. 1627
• Pie zemes tālās... (At the Edge of the Earth…) / Latvian Radio Chamber Singers, Conductor Kaspars Putniņš – [Author CD] – 1999
• 15th Psalm / Latvian Radio Choir, Conductor Sigvards Kļava – 8'49" / Latviešu mūzika Rīgā – 1999
• Maija balāde (May Ballad) // Latvian Millennium Classics – 2000, UPE CLASSICS
• Noktirne (Nocturne) / Divejāda saule tek. Latvian New Music – 2003, LR CD 043
• Monologs (Monologue) for cello and piano // Spēlē Māris Villerušs CD 1 – 2003
• Dramatiskais dialogs // Negaidīta atklāsme (Unexpected Inspiration) – 2003, Riga Recording Company
• Sirēnu sala (The Isle of the Sirens) / Vocal ensemble Putni, artistic leader Antra Dreģe // Vokālais ansamblis Putni. Pamošanās – 2003, PUTNI
• Sonata for Violin and Organ / Jānis Bulavs and Larisa Bulava // Latvian New Music. Latviešu jaunā mūzika – 2004, Jānis Bulavs [recorded in Canada] // Saules lēkts – 2005, LMIC& Latvian Radio Choir, LMIC CD-2005-3
• Ave Maria // Latvian String Quartets. Latviešu stīgu kvarteti – 2008