Professor

Pianist, teacher and professor Juris Kalnciems was born in 1957, Riga, Latvia. After graduating Emils Darzins Special Secondary Music School,he studied piano performance at Jazeps Vitols Latvian State Conservatory (currently known as Latvian Academy of Music) with professor Arnis Zandmanis and also at P.Tchaikovsky Moscow  State Conservatoire with professor Samuel Alumjan. Juris Kalnciems has participated in several piano competitions and has won 1st prize of the Curlionis International Piano Competition, Vilnius, year 1978.

At present  Juris Kalnciems is the Head of Piano Department of Latvian Music Academy. Since year 2001 he is the official president of European Piano Teachers Association (EPTA) Latvian branch. Professor Juris Kalnciems often performs on various international stages, works in juries of various competitions (including Jāzeps Vītols International Piano Competition) and gives masterclasses in Latvia and abroad. His repertoire includes music from various epochs. In 2006 his CD with 24 sketches for piano by Jānis Ivanovs was released; in 2007 his album Latvian Piano Music was completed.