Cellist Māra BOTMANE has been a member of the chamber orchestra Sinfonietta Rīga since 2012. In addition to the modern cello, she also plays the Baroque cello, including in the orchestra Collegium Musicum Riga (leader Māris Kupčs).

 

Māra started learning music in the town of Dobele and later at Riga Emīls Dārziņš Music School, class of Arvīds Tareila. In 2013, she earned her bachelor’s from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music (JVLAM, class of Diana Ozoliņa), where she also earned her master’s in early music in 2020. Additionally, she has a master’s from the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (2018), where she studied with professor Jan Ickert and Kristin von der Goltz. She also attended classes at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest.

 

Māra has performed as the soloist with the JVLAM SO and chamber orchestra Sinfonia concertante; she has participated in international projects (for example, Pärnu Music Festival Orchestra with conducor Paavo Järvi;  SummerMusicAcademy Hundisburg Castle with conductor Johannes Klumpp) and performed with the Frankfurter Kantorei, Kammeroper Frankfurt, and Stadttheater Gießen orchestras. She regularly participates in projects with the Cologne Chamber Orchestra.

 

Māra is an active performer of chamber music and member of Tempus Balticus and Latvian Sound Quartet. She has performed across Europe with various chamber ensembles and reaped awards in several competitions.