„Kremerata Baltica“ festival at Paliesius Manor | 2026

The spectacular “Kremerata Baltica” festival returns to Paliesius Manor for the third time!

On July 18–19, a multitude of talented performers and an extraordinary musical journey await you at the manor: a dynamic and contrast-filled program combining classical and 20th-century works, revealing the diversity of European composers’ styles and musical language.

The festival will feature one of today’s most renowned violinists, Maestro Gidon Kremer, his founded and Grammy Award-winning orchestra “Kremerata Baltica”, and four famous guest soloists from various countries. Canadian cellist Luka Coetzee has won numerous awards; her Beethoven sonata recorded with the orchestra took first place in the “Apple Music Classical Video Charts” in over 40 countries. German pianist Julius Asal is called a rising star and one of the most promising performers of his generation, having been selected as a BBC New Generation Artist. Latvian cellist Magdalena Ceple, who won the title of Latvian Young Musician of the Year, is distinguished by exceptional flexibility, musicality, and high mastery. Ukrainian Andrei Pushkarev is the principal percussionist of “Kremerata Baltica” and once became the youngest principal timpanist in the Ukrainian Symphony Orchestra.

Gidon Kremer was born on February 27, 1947, in Riga, Latvia. At the age of four, he began studying with his father and grandfather, prominent string players. At seven, he entered the Riga Music School, where he rapidly progressed, and at sixteen, he was awarded the First Prize of the Republic of Latvia. Two years later, he began studying at the Moscow Conservatory with David Oistrakh. G. Kremer has won numerous prestigious awards: prizes at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels in 1967 and the Montreal International Music Competition in 1969, first prizes at the Paganini Competition in 1969 and the P. Tchaikovsky International Competition in 1970.

Over the past five decades, he has earned a global reputation as one of the most original and compelling performers of his generation. He has performed in almost all major concert halls as a recitalist and with the most famous European and North American orchestras, collaborating with many of the most prominent conductors of the last half-century.

The violinist’s repertoire is unusually broad and diverse, encompassing classical and romantic periods. The performer is also well-versed in the works of 20th and 21st-century composers, such as A. Berg, H. W. Henze, and K. Stockhausen. G. Kremer’s name is also associated with world-renowned composers such as Alfred Schnittke, Arvo Pärt, Giya Kancheli, Sofia Gubaidulina, Valentin Silvestrov, Luigi Nono, Edison Denisov, Aribert Reimann, Pēteris Vasks, John Adams, Victor Kissine, Michael Nyman, Philip Glass, Leonid Desyatnikov, and Astor Piazzolla. In performing their works, the violinist respects musical traditions and roots, but also masterfully highlights their freshness and modernity. It can be said that today there is no other soloist of such high caliber who so widely promotes modern and contemporary composers’ works for the violin.

G. Kremer is an exceptionally prolific artist, having released over 120 albums. Many albums have received awards: among them are “Grand prix du Disque”, “Deutscher Schallplattenpreis”, “Ernst von Siemens Musikpreis”, “Bundesverdienstkreuz”, “Premio dell ‘Accademia Musicale Chigiana”, the “Triumph” award in 2000 (Moscow), the “Unesco” award in 2001, the “Saeculum Glashütte Original MusikFestspielPreis” in 2007 (Dresden), the Rolf Schock Prize in 2008 (Stockholm), the Istanbul Music Festival “Lifetime Achievement” award received in 2010, and the “Una Vita Nella Musica – Artur Rubinstein” award in 2011 (Venice). In 2016, G. Kremer was awarded the “Praemium Imperiale”, considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in the music world.

Founded in 1997 by the renowned G. Kremer, the chamber orchestra “Kremerata Baltica”, a Grammy Award winner, is considered one of Europe’s most prominent international ensembles.

For this orchestra, Maestro deliberately chose young, enthusiastic musicians. A key characteristic of “Kremerata Baltica” as an artistic entity is its creative approach to programs, which are usually not limited to mainstream trends and have included world premieres of works by composers such as Arvo Pärt, Giya Kancheli, Pēteris Vasks, Leonid Desyatnikov, and Alexander Raskatov. “Kremerata Baltica” is a way for the renowned violinist, who is not only the founder but also the orchestra’s artistic director, to share artistic experience with the new generation. The orchestra also collectively promotes and inspires the musical and cultural life of the Baltic countries.

“Kremerata Baltica” has performed in over 50 countries, giving more than 1,000 concerts in 600 cities. The breadth of the ensemble’s repertoire is reflected in its award-winning discography. The album of Mieczysław Weinberg’s works released by ECM was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2015, and the recording of Shostakovich’s piano concertos with Anna Vinnitskaya won the 2016 “ECHO Klassik” award. The recording of Weinberg’s Symphonies No. 2 and No. 21, performed together with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, won the “Gramophone” award in 2020.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, the orchestra could not meet, rehearse, perform concerts, and travel the world as usual. However, orchestra members living in different countries did not lose their desire to make music and delight people. “Kremerata Baltica” members living in Lithuania began preparing programs and performing in Lithuania, while members living in Latvia began performing in Latvia and Estonia. This is how “Kremerata Lithuanica” and “Kremerata Lettonica” were born.

Canadian cellist Luka Coetzee has appeared as a soloist with orchestras worldwide since her professional debut at just 11 years old and has won numerous awards, including first prize at the prestigious 7th International Paulo Cello Competition in 2023, first prize at the 2022 Pablo Casals International Award, and first prize at the 2022 Johansen International Competition in Washington.

As a member of the “Echo Klassik” nominated “LGT Young Soloists”, the musician has performed in halls worldwide, and with LGTYS, she recorded the critically acclaimed Beethoven A-major sonata for cello, arranged for cello and strings, which took first place in the “Apple Music Classical Video Charts” in over 40 countries. The cellist plays a Giuseppe Guarneri “filius Andrea” cello, made around 1712–1715, with a bow made by François Nicolas Voirin, provided to her by “Canimex Inc”.

German pianist Julius Asal was praised by pianist Menahem Pressler for his “extraordinarily beautiful sound and special timbre”. The artist quickly established himself as one of the most promising performers of his generation. In October 2023, “Deutsche Grammophon” announced an exclusive contract with J. Asal. Furthermore, he was selected as a BBC New Generation Artist for two years, 2024–2026.

The young pianist, whom “Classic FM” named a rising star for 2024, is a regular guest at international festivals, performing in prestigious concert halls such as “Wigmore Hall” in London, “Musikverein” in Vienna, “Suntory Hall” in Tokyo, and “Laeiszhalle” in Hamburg. In spring 2022, the Spanish record label “IBS Classical” released J. Asal’s debut album, featuring works by Sergei Prokofiev and Asal’s own arrangements from the ballet “Romeo and Juliet”, which received international acclaim.

Latvian cellist Magdalena Ceple is distinguished by exceptional flexibility, musicality, and high mastery. In the 2021–2022 season, she became the principal cellist of the prestigious Baltic Chamber Orchestra “Kremerata Baltica”. Gidon Kremer stated that “she undoubtedly has her own signature – something rarely seen among today’s so-called rising stars”.

The musician studies baroque cello at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich and is one of four academics at the ASAM Baroque Academy. However, overall, she is a versatile performer, playing everything from classical to jazz and contemporary music. She has won several awards, including the title of Latvian Young Musician of the Year in 2016, and has participated in international academies and tours in Europe and Japan.

Kyiv-born vibraphonist Andrei Pushkarev became the youngest principal timpanist of the Ukrainian Symphony Orchestra at the age of 22. In 1999, the musician joined the chamber orchestra “Kremerata Baltica” and to this day holds the status of a recognized soloist and principal percussionist of this ensemble. With the orchestra, he tours worldwide and records with renowned labels – for example, he participated as a soloist in the recording of the Grammy Award-winning album “After Mozart”. He is a huge jazz enthusiast and developed G. Kremer’s proposed project “Bach Vibrations”, in which he interprets Bach’s works in a jazz style. “Andrei Pushkarev and his vibrations are special – he is not just a good musician, but a true magician,” says G. Kremer.