About us
For almost forty years Youth choir BALSIS (founded 1987) has been proving its enduring artistic quality and has gained respect and recognition among choirs in Latvia and abroad. The choir's creative approach to a cappella choral music makes every concert an event, as evidenced by the 31 international awards it has received.
BALSIS has performed Latvian choral music from Europe to China, Canada, Australia, United States and Japan. The choir performs with equal dedication in urban, as well as national concert halls, at international choral festivals and in competitions (such as the Lund Choral Festival in Sweden, 2012; The World Choral Expo, 2015 in Macau, China; the European Grand Prix for Choral singing, 2004, 2017 and 2025; Takarazuka choir competition and Tokyo international choir competition 2024), and when sharing the stage with world-renowned ensembles such as The King's Singers (2008) and Voces8 (2022).
The singer's unmistakable openness and joy of singing motivates listeners to contribute to good causes. BALSIS has undertaken countless charity campaigns and social projects with a particular focus on helping children in orphanages and people with special needs (for example, Warm Christmas, Give The World, BALSIS in sign language and other projects).
The energetic and charismatic conductor Ints Teterovskis, who has also served as a chief conductor of the Latvian Song Celebration, has led BALSIS for more than 25 years. Under his leadership, the choir has given about seventy concerts each year and has recorded more than a dozen albums. Teterovskis and the choir regularly encourage new works by composers with a particular focus on the genre of the choral song cycle. BALSIS enjoys engaging in experimental and contemporary projects and also performs at less conventional venues, such as markets, swimming pools, railway stations, gas stations, on rivers...
The choir performs around 70 concerts every year in Latvian concert halls, churches, open-air venues.
Singing is part of their lifestyle for the choristers in the choir BALSIS and the phrase that unites them in all that they do together is Many voices, one thought!
Awards
BALSIS has won awards in over 30 international choral competitions:
- Third Prize in the folklore category at 43rd International Choral Competition in Tolosa, Spain (2011)
- Riga Youth Choir BALSIS Vocal Group won Gold in the folk music category and Silver in the chamber choir category at the 2010 World Choir Games in Shaoxing / Shanghai, China
- Third Prize in the semi-professional choir category of the 24th Latvian National Song and Dance Festival Choral Competition in Riga, Latvia (2008)
- Second Prize First International Choral Competition and Festival in Latvia (2007)
- Second Prize 29th International Choral Competition in Varna, Bulgaria (2007)
- Prize awarded for best performance of a selected composition 29th International Choral Competition in Varna, Bulgaria (2007)
- Prize awarded for best performance of a Bulgarian composition 29th International Choral Competition in Varna, Bulgaria (2007)
- Third Prize 50th International Choral Competition of Habaneras and Polyphony in Torrevieja, Spain (2004)
- Second Prize European Grand Prix for Choral Singing in Gorizia, Italy (2004)
- Prize awarded by Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia for outstanding achievements in choral music (2003)
- Grand Prix at the 35th International Choral Competition in Tolosa, Spain (2003)
- First Prize in the semi-professional choir category of the 23rd Latvian National Song and Dance Festival Choral Competition in Riga, Latvia (2003)
- First Prize International Choral Competition in Spittal an der Drau, Austria (2002)
- First Prize International Choral Competition in Tallinn, Estonia (2001)
- First Prize International Choral Competition in Nordic-Baltic Choral Festival in Skien, Norway (2000)
- Grand Prix Em. Melngailis Music Festival, Latvia (1999)
- First Prize in the chamber choir category of the 21st Latvian National Song and Dance Festival Choral Competition in Riga, Latvia (1998)
- First Prize in the semi-professional choir category of the 20th and 21st Latvian National Song and Dance Festival Choral Competition in Riga, Latvia (1990, 1998)
- Grand Prix - International Competition in Ventspils, Latvia (1997)
- Grand Prix - International Competition in Cantonigros, Spain (1995)
- First Prize - Fourth International Competition in Neuchâtel, Switzerland (1992)
- Grand Prix - BBC Choral Recordings Competition "Let the People Sing" (1991)
- In addition, BALSIS has developed a tradition of competing in the Emils Darzins Choral Competition in Latvia in the womens and mens choir categories, winning First Prize for both choirs in 2005 and Second Prize for both choirs in 2009. BALSIS was awarded a prize by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia in 2003 for active and original choral programming in 2002 and outstanding choral achievements in choral music in 2003.
