According to Liepāja Symphony Orchestra communications manager Iveta Vēvere, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra will open its 146th concert season on September 19 at the “Great Amber” concert hall under the baton of conductor Guntis Kuzma, featuring German cellist Daniel Müller-Schott in a program of Antonín Dvořák’s music. Later in the autumn, on November 7, the orchestra will share the stage with Latvian cellist Margarita Balanas to perform the music of Edward Elgar.
Season Opening With Daniel Müller-Schott on September 19
The upcoming season opener brings a reunion with German cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, according to Vēvere. Müller-Schott previously performed at the Liepāja 400th Anniversary International Stars Festival, where he played Camille Saint-Saëns’ First Cello Concerto at the opening concert. For this season’s opening performance, the repertoire centers on Antonín Dvořák’s Concerto for cello and orchestra, widely recognized as a cornerstone of the cello repertoire.
“When Daniel Müller-Schott first played together with the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, performing the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto, we were immediately struck by his soulful, emotionally direct, and timbrally colorful playing,” says Liepāja Symphony Orchestra artistic director Guntis Kuzma. “He breathed and phrased so organically with the orchestra, it seemed the whole orchestra froze, following the solistic playing’s most subtle details.”
Müller-Schott is an internationally recognized German cellist who regularly performs with leading global orchestras. According to The New York Times, critics note his “intense expressiveness” and describe him as a “fearless cellist whose playing technique burns.”
Did you know?
Conductor Guntis Kuzma will also lead the orchestra in Arthur Honegger’s dramatic, existentially saturated Liturgical Symphony during the opening night, alongside the world premiere of Jura Karlsons’ new work “In the Sunrise” (“Saules lēktā”).
November 7 Concert Featuring Margarita Balanas and British Masterworks
On November 7, the musical focus shifts to Edward Elgar’s Concerto for cello and orchestra, a central opus of the composer’s late output. Latvian cellist Margarita Balanas as the soloist for this performance. Critics characterize Balanas as one of the most brilliant cellists of her generation, according to Vēvere’s release.
In the autumn of 2025, Balanas and her sister, violinist Kristīne Balanas, became the first Latvian musicians to sign a recording contract with Decca Classics, one of the world’s most prestigious record labels.
“Elgar’s Cello Concerto demands deep internal concentration from the soloist, the ability to maintain dramatic tension, and a personally frank, robust expression,” Kuzma explains. “In my opinion, Margarita Balanas’s playing possesses the dramatic power and intensity necessary for this work.”
British maestro Douglas Bostock will lead the orchestra for the November program, which weaves together three early 20th-century British composer styles. Alongside Elgar’s concerto, the concert features Ralph Vaughan Williams’ London Symphony and Gustav Holst’s Fantasia Suite.
Ticketing and Institutional Support
Tickets for the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra concerts are available through the "Biļešu paradīze" network.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra open its 146th season?
The orchestra opens its 146th concert season at the “Great Amber” concert hall in Liepāja.
Who are the guest cellists performing with the orchestra this season?
German cellist Daniel Müller-Schott performs the Dvořák concerto on September 19, and Latvian cellist Margarita Balanas performs the Elgar concerto on November 7.
Where can I purchase tickets for these concerts?
Tickets are available through the “Biļešu paradīze” ticketing network.
Experience Live Orchestral Music
Explore upcoming concert dates and secure your seats for the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra’s 146th season today.
Related reading