JURIS KARLSONS studied at the Faculty of Music Theory at the E. Dārziņš Music School and in 1972 he graduated from the Faculty of Composition at the J. Vītols Latvian Conservatory under Jānis Ivanovs. He has gained experience working as a sound engineer at the Latvian State Radio as well as working as the chief sound engineer at the Jānis Rainis Dailes Theatre. Since 1974 he has been a lecturer of the Latvian State Conservatory (now called the J. Vītols Latvian Academy of Music); for many years was its rector and led the Faculty of Composition. The composer’s creative oeuvre includes ballets, symphonic and vocal symphonic pieces, piano concertos, choral, organ and chamber music pieces, as well music for theatre and film. His compositions have been performed in Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, Russia, USA, Canada, Australia, France, Italy and elsewhere. Juris Karlsons is a member of the Latvian Composer’s Union and from 1989 to 1993 he served as its chairman. Among the awards he has been bestowed are the Jānis Ivanovs Prize (1984) for his completed and instrumented J. Ivanovs’ 21st Symphony; Order of the Three Stars (3rd Class); Grand Music Award for the ballet The Silver Veil (2000), for his symphonic vision Evening Glow (2007), for his ballet Karlsson Flies… (2013), and for Concerto for cello, piano, percussion and symphonic orchestra (2016); title of Dr. honoris causa (2004); the Republic of Poland Officer's Cross of the Order of Honour (2005); the Grand Prize of Folklore (2008).