Jānis Semjonovs is the principal bassoon of the LNSO since September 2009, and chamber orchestra Sinfonietta Rīga since it was founded in 2006. Lecturer at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music (JVLMA) since 2010.

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Semjonovs earned a degree in bassoon playing from the JVLMA in 2006 (class of Andris Arnicāns) and completed his master’s in 2012 (class of Dzintars Jurgelaitis). Additionally, he studied at Berlin Academy of Arts from 2006 to 2009, class of professor Eckhart Hübner. Jānis has reaped rewards in numerous international competitions.

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He was nominated for Latvia’s Grand Music Award 2011 For Outstanding Work in an Ensemble.

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Jānis is an active performer of chamber music, from Baroque to contemporary. He has had fruitful collaborations with Latvian composers Kristaps Pētersons, Gundega Šmite, Anitra Tumševica, Marina Vidmonte, Kārlis Rērihs, and Mārtiņš Viļums, among others.

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Semjonovs has performed with Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra chamber ensemble Camerata RCO, the Riga Festival Orchestra, the Riga Chamber Musicians, the Liepāja SO, the Nordic SO, the New Riga Chamber Orchestra, the European Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, the Berlin Academy of Arts SO, the German-Nordic Youth SO, the JVLMA SO, the Baltic Youth SO, as well as chamber orchestras Kremerata Baltica, the Moscow Virtuosi, and Konsonanse.