Award-winning pianist Marija Virki will give a piano concert at the Rothko Museum – Culture, art

Friday, May 17, at 18.00 in the concert hall of the Rothko Museum, the young, bright pianist, laureate of international competitions and multiple recipient of Latvian Ministry of Culture awards Marija Virki, will lead the audience on a musical journey, in which piano pieces by Mozart, Chopin and Rachmaninoff will be played.

The artist’s new concert program is designed as a musical journey where listeners will be able to get to know three different composers, musical eras and styles.

Mozart’s sonata in A minor is at the same time imbued with tragedy and light, composed for the composer during a difficult period of his life, when he deeply experienced the death of his mother. The second stop on the concert tour is Frideric Chopin’s “Variations” or Opus No. 12. The composer drew inspiration for the creation of the piece from an aria he heard at the premiere of the opera “Ludovic” and which appealed to him with the brilliant style characteristic of the era, which was popular in the musical salons of Paris at that time.

In the final part of the concert, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s excellent piano cycle “Musical Moments” or Opus No. 16. It was written at a time when the twenty-three-year-old composer was full of hope and waiting for the premiere of his First Symphony.

Pianist Marija Virki has proven her professional skill by receiving prizes in piano competitions and festivals and giving solo concerts. She has two achievements to her credit Grand Prix awards in the Mihaila Kazinik competition “Rising Stars” (2023, 2024), second place in the “Talents of Inese Galante” competition (2022, 2023), platinum award in the international Online London Youth Piano competition (2022), gold medal in international online competition in Canada (2022) and other awards.

Marija Virki learned the piano at Pārdaugava Music and Art School with Jeļena Fļegontova and Jāzeps Mediņš at Riga Music High School with Guntas Boža. Currently, the young stage artist continues her studies at the Jāzeps Vītolas Academy of Music of Latvia in the piano class of professor Juras Kalnciems and adds to her knowledge in master classes of the industry’s excellence – with Juilliard School professor Mati Raekallio, Luxembourg Conservatory professor Žan Miller, Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts professor Konstantin Semilakova.

Entrance to the concert is free.

Rothko Museum