The Latvian Radio Choir (LRC) is a distinguished and award-winning ensemble of professional singers celebrated for its extraordinary versatility and “Nordic sound”. From exploring early music and the elegance of classicism to navigating the emotional depths of romantic era and embracing the intricate compositions of contemporary composers, the choir offers audiences a truly diverse repertoire.

The Latvian Radio Choir serves as a creative laboratory for composers, encouraging them to push the boundaries of classical vocal performance. Over the past two decades, the choir has cultivated a distinctive identity as a multi-layered instrument, blending individual vocal timbres into a uniquely harmonious sound.

Founded in 1940 by the legendary Latvian conductor Teodors Kalniņš, the choir has been led by Edgars Račevskis (1963–1986), Juris Kļaviņš (1987–1992), Sigvards Kļava has led the Latvian Radio Choir from 1992 – 2023. Through his dedicated efforts, he elevated the choir to an internationally renowned ensemble known for its vibrant vocal artistry, and sought after worldwide. Since 2024, the artistic director has been Kaspars Putniņš. Sigvards Kļava remains an active conductor, contributing to the ensemble’s artistic achievements. Together, they uphold the choir’s tradition of innovation and artistry.

The Latvian Radio Choir has collaborated with renowned recording labels, including Ondine, Hyperion Records, Deutsche Grammophon, ECM, BIS, Naïve, Prima Classica, and SKANI, producing albums that consistently garner international acclaim.

The choir received a Grammy Award in 2014 for Arvo Pärt's Adam’s Lament (2012, ECM) in the "Best Choral Performance" category. In 2023, it received the prestigious Gramophone Award for John Cage: Choral Works (2022, Ondine) in the “Best Choral Music Album” category. Its recording of Tchaikovsky’s Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (2020, Ondine), conducted by Kļava, won the International Classical Music Award (ICMA) for “Best Choral Music Album”. Additionally, its recording of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Vespers was named Gramophone’s Recording of the Month in February 2013 and included in NPR’s (National Public Radio, USA) Top 25 Albums of the Year.

In 2024, the choir released two acclaimed albums: Aletheia Choral Works (Ondine) conducted By Sigvards Kļava, featuring works by Lithuanian-American composer Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, and Angele Dei (SKANI), showcasing contemporary Latvian composers. Aletheia was included in NPR’s “10 Best Classical Albums of 2024” and selected as BBC Music Magazine’s “Choral & Song Choice” in their Christmas issue. The album Angele Dei, conducted by Kaspars Putniņš and Sigvards Kļava, was included in the “Preis der Deutschen Schallplatten Kritik” Quarterly Critics’ Choice List, ranking first in the Contemporary Music category, and was named one of the Best Albums of 2024 in the prestigious Gramophone Editor’s Choice Awards Issue.

The choir has performed in some of the world’s most renowned concert venues, including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and Muziekgebouw, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, and Philharmonie de Paris. It has collaborated with iconic venues such as the Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and Walt Disney Concert Hall, and has performed at Duke University Chapel, the U.S. Library of Congress, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Konzerthaus Berlin, Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo in Bogotá, Colombia. It was also the first vocal ensemble to inaugurate The Hague’s Amare concert hall.

The choir has appeared at prestigious festivals, including the BBC Proms, Salzburg Festival, Lucerne Festival, Klangspuren, the Baltic Sea Festival in Stockholm, and Klangvokal in Dortmund. In North America, it has gained acclaim at the White Light Festival in the U.S. and Soundstreams in Canada. In 2019, led by Kaspars Putniņš, the choir toured Japan and China, presenting its choral opera NEOARCTIC also in Hong Kong. In 2024, it was performed for 5 evenings at the international FIAV Bogotá festival in Colombia.