Oskars Petrauskis, Liepāja Symphony Orchestra & Douglas Bostock
Biography Oskars Petrauskis, Liepāja Symphony Orchestra & Douglas Bostock
Oskars Petrauskis
Latvian-born saxophonist Oskars Petrauskis is celebrated for his unique musical instinct and versatility. As a soloist, he has performed with all of Latvia’s leading orchestras — including the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonietta Rīga, Orchestra Rīga, Latvian Radio Choir, and Latvian Radio Big Band — as well as internationally with ensembles such as the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra and Kristiansund Symphony Orchestra.
His collaborations span an impressive range of world-renowned artists, among them The King’s Singers, Baptiste Herbin, Vincent David, Quatuor Morphing, Marina Rebeka, Iveta Apkalna, Philippe Geiss, Douglas Bostock, and Andris Poga. Oskars has also worked closely with leading composers including Giya Kancheli, Toshio Mashima, Ēriks Ešenvalds, and Pēteris Vasks, premiering numerous works for saxophone and orchestra.
Equally at home in classical repertoire, jazz, contemporary music, and free improvisation, Oskars brings expressive depth and technical brilliance to every performance. He is the founder and producer of the Riga Saxophone Weekend festival and has proudly served as a Henri Selmer Paris Ambassador since 2007.
Liepaja Symphony Orchestra (LSO)
is the oldest symphony orchestra in the Baltic States, that is still performing today, and the only professional orchestra in Latvia outside Rīga. In 2010, the LSO acquired the status of a state orchestra
The orchestra has performed regularly in the Baltic States, and has toured to China, Japan and India, as well as Greece and Azerbaijan. In the repertoire politics special attention is paid to Latvian music – the orchestra has repeatedly premiered and commissioned new works.
In recent seasons all the 12 monumental opuses of Liepaja concert series initiated by Liepaja Symphony Orchestra have been submitted to public and specialist evaluation. They have been released by such record labels as “Odradek Records” and “Skani”. Orchestra has two times received the highest national music award – The Great Music Award, as well as numerous Latvian Recordings Awards.
Douglas Bostock
British conductor Douglas Bostock is Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the internationally acclaimed Southwest German Chamber Orchestra (since 2019) and Honorary Conductor of the Argovia Philharmonic in Switzerland. He is also Principal Guest Conductor of the Osaka Shion Wind Orchestra (since 2024) and Honorary Guest Conductor of the Central Band of the Singapore Armed Forces (appointed in 2022).
Renowned for his versatility and artistry, Bostock has conducted many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, the BBC orchestras, Prague Radio Symphony, Prague Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic, Kyoto Symphony, Sapporo Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony. His international appearances have brought him to prestigious venues and festivals such as the BBC Proms, Vienna Konzerthaus, Suntory Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Tonhalle Zürich, Prague Spring Festival, Herkulessaal Munich, Leipzig Gewandhaus, and the Ravinia Festival.
A prolific recording artist, Bostock has released over 100 CDs, spanning a wide and diverse repertoire. His acclaimed recording cycles include the complete orchestral works of Carl Nielsen, the symphonies of Robert Schumann, and the extensive British Symphonic Collection, which have brought him international recognition. Known both for his championing of core repertoire and his dedication to rediscovering lesser-known works, Bostock continues to inspire audiences and musicians worldwide with his refined interpretations and visionary programming.
