Aivars Kalējs

Aivars Kalējs (April 22, 1951, Riga, Latvian SSR) is a Latvian composer, organist and pianist. Career Aivars Kalējs has written more than 100 opuses of symphonic, organ, piano, chamber and choir music. His works have won several composition awards, e.g. symphonic work “Musica Dolente” - dedicated to the victims of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. His works are included in many CD’s of the great musicians and collectives such as Iveta Apkalna, Andris Nelsons, Maxim Novikov and Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, Vita Kalnciema released retrospective CD Flashes of Aivars Kalējs organ music recorded in Riga Cathedral. Aivars Kalējs is a concert organist at the Dome Cathedral in Riga and chief organist for the New St. Gertrudes Lutheran Church. He has performed solo recitals, included participating in dozens of important international organ festivals, and toured with various ensembles throughout North America, Colombia, almost all European countries, and Asia, including prestigious venues as Notre Dame de Paris (only Latvian who had three recitals there), Musikverein, West Point Military Academy Cadet Chapel with largest pipe organ in the world. Kalējs is known as an