Timurs Tomsons on why Riga still can't compete with Liepāja in concert life
The new head of state concert agency "Latvijas koncerti," Timurs Tomsons, discusses his first months in the job, Riga's lack of concert infrastructure, and the risks of further funding cuts. He warns that a third consecutive budget cut would hit the chamber music program first.
Timurs Tomsons, who spent nine years leading the Liepāja concert hall "Lielais dzintars" before taking charge of state agency VSIA "Latvijas koncerti," has explained in an interview why Riga still cannot compete with Liepāja in concert life. He points to infrastructure as the main issue — the venues currently available in Riga do not meet the standards expected by international tourists and music critics, while the Liepāja hall has attracted foreign audiences, including Lithuanian listeners.
First months and a new strategy
Tomsons began his new role with a 90-day plan that included individual conversations with staff, an assessment of the company's operations, and work on a new strategy for 2027–2032. He describes his management style as democratic and dialogue-based, noting that the company, which employs about 115 people, is building a more modern human resources function that will begin operating in September.
Tomsons notes that the agency's three artistic ensembles — Sinfonietta Rīga, the Latvian Radio Big Band, and the Latvian Radio Choir — are often not perceived as part of "Latvijas koncerti," so the company plans to clarify its brand architecture and the relationship between the ensembles and the administration.
Funding risks
The agency has faced funding cuts two years running. Tomsons hopes a third cut will not follow, but acknowledges that if it does, the chamber music program — which provides 50 to 60 concerts annually across various locations in Latvia — would be the first to suffer. He considers the three main ensembles untouchable, since reducing them would mean an immediate drop in quality.
He also points to a structural problem: musicians' pay in Latvia is lower than in neighboring countries, prompting some young musicians to take on multiple jobs or move abroad, a trend that could threaten the ensembles' quality in the future.
