What is your ministry?
I am a concert pianist performing in Latvia and wider Europe. My work mainly consists of preparing interpretations of existing music pieces and offering them in concerts. I perform mostly solo and sometimes as a soloist with orchestras, chamber ensembles, or multi-media projects with artists of different disciplines (actors, painters, dancers). My art currently intersects with my ministry through the topics I pursue in my recitals and present during the spoken introductions I do during my recitals. The conceptual concert programs that I create and my interpretations of classical music can mirror our Creator in myriad ways to my audience. Equally, my collaboration with other artists can reflect my Saviour in various situations that organically sprout in such relationships. And my musical service within the Christian fellowship I am part of can encourage many believers. Regular TV, radio, and newspaper interviews also provide an essential platform to reach people.
When did you trust Christ?
I first heard of Jesus from my girlfriend in 2002 (she is now my wife). Her brother had come back from a coma and had learned to speak, write, and walk again, despite what the doctors had predicted. This was a direct result of many prayers, she believed. She challenged me to offer her a counter-solution: equal power to her Lord. Since I could not, I started visiting her Baptist church and learning about this God. When I soon started reading the New Testament, I was struck by its ‘ring of truth’ and came to trust its witness. I was soon baptised. Since then, I have spent periods in charismatic, Lutheran, and Anglican churches, currently serving in a Reformed church.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
I have learned a great deal from other artists and musicians about what it means to be an artist who is also a Christian.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
My previous attendance has been good for me and, from feedback, for others. Over the years, I have given at least three concerts at the Forum; I gave my first talk last year. However, I have also met and learned from several brilliant professional artists at ELF, so I greatly value these times of serving and being served.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
I hope to gain some tools for standing firm during our current cultural battles. I want to learn to appreciate art and music better since I usually look at it from the inside and thus often miss its impact. I expect to hear of many intersections of faith and art, catalyzing my creativity towards new projects. I hope to get to know the other artists more than superficially, and I genuinely hope to meet at least one practicing professional artist with whom I could create something new together.
