Kristina Blaumane

Cello

Kristina Blaumane

Latvian cellist Kristina Blaumane is invited to play as a soloist with orchestras, recitalist and chamber musician around the world.

Born in Riga and graduated from the Latvian Academy of Music, where she studied with Eleonora Testeleca and Guildhall School of Music and Drama (prof. Stefan Popov).

She has performed as a soloist with London Philharmonic Orchestra (under Vladimir Jurowski, Thierry Fischer, Michal Dworzynski), Amsterdam Sinfonietta (Lev Markiz and Pieter Oundjian), Chicago Civic Orchestra (Andris Nelsons), MDR Symphony orchestra (Kristjan Jarvi), Kremerata Baltica, Britten Sinfonia, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Latvian National Opera Orchestra, Liepaja Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonietta Riga, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Sofia Soloists, Plovdiv Opera Orchestra, Netherlands Wind Ensemble, Ensemble Ubertini, Dalarna Sinfonietta and others.

Kristina is a keen chamber musician and has worked in partnership with such artists as Isaac Stern, Leif Ove Andsnes, Yuri Bashmet, Gidon Kremer, Yo Yo Ma, Janine Jansen, Julian Rachlin, Boris Brovtsyn, Roman Mints, Maxim Rysanov, Katya Apekisheva, Jacob Katsnelson, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Misha Maisky, Nikolaj Znaider, Tatyana Grindenko, Oleg Maisenberg among others, and has performed at the festivals such as Lockenhaus, Gstaad, Salzburg, Verbier, Basel, Jerusalem, Amsterdam Cello Biennale, Utrecht, Spitalfields, Cheltenham, Aldeburgh, Homecoming and Crescendo. Kristina is also a member of Trio Palladio.

Kristina has been an avid promoter of new music. She made a number of world premieres, among them cello concertos by Dobrinka Tabakova, Kristaps Petersons, Peteris Plakidis and Artem Vassiliev. Kristina appears as a soloist on the ECM debut disc of composer Dobrinka Tabakova, which reached number 2 in the UK classical charts and has received a GRAMMY nomination.

Besides this CD Kristina has recorded for ONYX, QUARTZ and BMG labels.

Kristina is a winner of many awards including Latvian Philharmonic Young Musician of the Year, Latvian Television Competition “Alternativa”, Carmel International Competition, Musicians Benevolent Fund and Lord Mayor’s Prize.

She is a two time laureate of Grand Music Award (Lielā Mūzikas Balva), the highest prize given by the Latvian State in the field of music (2005; 2007).

Since 2007 Kristina combines her busy career with a principal cello position in London Philharmonic Orchestra.

View the cello course of Kristina Blaumane