Tālivaldis Ķeniņš

Latvian/Canadian composer Tālivaldis Ķeniņš was born in Liepāja on 22 April 1919 into a prominent Latvian family. He studied composition and piano in Riga, but, due to the Soviet occupation of Latvia, continued his studies in Paris, winning several prizes, and then moved to Canada in 1951, becoming organist at Latvian Lutheran St Andrews Church in Toronto and teaching at Toronto University for over thirty years.

He has been credited (by Canadian musicologist Paul Rapoport) with introducing European idioms into serious Canadian music.

Ķeniņš died in Toronto on 20 January 2008 aged eighty-eight, leaving eight symphonies, twelve concertos, three cantatas, an oratorio and much chamber and keyboard music.

 

A selection of articles about Tālivaldis Ķeniņš

CD Spotlight. Wonderfully Transparent and Detailed - Robert McCarney listens to symphonies by Latvian/Canadian composer Tālivaldis Ķeniņš. 'The playing by all concerned is excellent.'