The concert program TRUTH includes philosophical miniatures by Latvian composer Imants Zemzaris (1951) Truth I and Truth II, which mark the path from the hopes of youth and idealism to their loss at the crossroads of middle age.
The Rector of the Latvian Conservatory - Jāzeps Vītols (1863–1948) after successful completion of the first academic year, in the summer of 1920 portrayed eleven piano teachers, depicting them in his Variations-Portraits op. 54. This composition not only presents a psychological portrait of each faculty member, but also highlights each pianist’s most notable performance characteristics.
Particular emphasis should be placed on the premiere of Sixth Piano Sonata by Pauls Dambis (1936), which is based on the intonation and archetypal model of the four pitches of Latvian folksong - Long Cry from Nīca. The mottos of the movements are poetry lines by Latvian exile poet Andrejs Eglītis (1912–2006):
I. Silence speaks in the darkness of the stars
II. Sounds a bell to whom your song is given
III. Latvia - You are the spirit, not ashes!
In commemoration of the 210th anniversary of the Hungarian piano genius Franz Liszt (1811–1886), the second part of the concert will feature the monumental Sonata in a B minor (1854) – one of the highest peaks of romantic piano music. The sonata will be introduced by Liszt's homage to Richard Wagner (1813–1883) Venezia (1883), but the concert will end with a transcription of Wagner's opera Tristan and Isolde finale scene – Isoldes Liebestod (1875).
The concert is supported by Latvian Culture Capital Foundation.
The pianist who has fire in her fingers! – Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia
PhD Diana Zandberga is a pianist, the Director of Professional Doctoral Study Programme at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, a member of the Piano Department and researcher at the Scientific Research Centre.
Having obtained a master’s degree at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music with Prof. Juris Kalnciems, in 2014 Diana Zandberga completed her studies for PhD with Prof. Dr. art. Jeļena Ļebedeva and Prof. Dr. art. Sergejs Osokins (thesis title: Historical and Stylistic Development of Piano Texture and its Manifestation in Latvian Music).
Between 2000 and 2004, she studied with the legendary pianist Lazar Berman at the European Academy of Music in Erba (Italy), and for the next four years she improved her performance with the world-famous Spanish pianist Alicia de Larrocha at the Granados Marshall Academy in Barcelona.
She has won acclaim for a succession of recitals in European countries, Russia, and USA, has premiered piano works by dozens of different composers, recorded seven piano music albums, including works by Latvian composers – Dace Aperāne “Sounds and Echoes” (Skani, 2015) and Imants Zemzaris “Eine andere Wandererfantasie” (Skani, 2021).
www.dianazandberga.com