05.06.2025.
Riga St. Albert Roman Catholic Church

06.06.2025.
Riga Old Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Gertrude

SURPRISE CONCERT

​The Riga Project Choir concluded its seventh season with two surprise concerts, where the program was only announced during the performance. The program, titled “For Our Own,” was inspired by reflections on our relationships with those closest to us, and each listener was invited to contemplate their own loved ones during the concerts. The program featured world and Latvian premieres, familiar melodies in new and unusual arrangements, as well as beloved choral pieces from around the world.

The surprise concert format was inspired by the world-renowned Budapest Festival Orchestra and its artistic director Iván Fischer, who has been organizing such concerts for 20 years. Without knowing the program in advance, audience members can attend the concert free of expectations or preconceived notions.

“Attending a concert is a conscious decision for each person, often based on the planned repertoire or the artists involved,” says Christopher Walsh-Sinka, the artistic director of the Riga Project Choir. “In doing so, we sometimes limit ourselves, avoiding events that seem unfamiliar or unusual. In an era where algorithms shape cultural consumption habits and general public taste, it’s worth embracing the unknown! I hope that our ‘Surprise Concert’ audience will experience new musical discoveries.”

The Riga Project Choir is supported by the Riga City Municipality. Since the fall of 2023, the choir has been collaborating with the Jāzeps Mediņš Riga Secondary School of Music.