On Saturday, 14 November, at 11.00 and 14.00, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) and children’s favourite LeNeSOn invite young audiences and their families to the concert performance LeNeSOn and Latvia at Riga Congress Hall. Exploring some of Latvia’s most beautiful places and listening to gems of Latvian symphonic music, audiences will join in solving riddles about Latvia and its values, prepared by LeNeSOn’s best friend, Loko.

For fifteen years, the LeNeSOn concert series has introduced children to the world of classical music and the symphony orchestra in an engaging and accessible way, combining music, storytelling, play, and theatrical adventure. This season, the series will revolve around various celebrations, allowing audiences to discover both familiar and previously unexplored musical worlds together with LeNeSOn.

With the LNSO’s centenary celebrations now behind us and November, Latvia’s national holiday month, already here, LeNeSOns invites audiences on a musical journey across Latvia. In search of the country’s most beautiful landscapes, LeNeSOns’ best friend Loko (actor Agris Nātre) will embark on an expedition, while LeNeSOns (actor Artūrs Putniņš) and Mouse (actress Anastasija Džordževiča) will join concertgoers in a Latvia-themed riddle game prepared by Loko. During the interval, families can enjoy creative activities inspired by Latvia’s national celebrations, as well as a special percussion instrument presentation.

The musical journey will be led by the orchestra under the baton of the young and talented conductor Artūrs Plaudis. The programme will feature some of the most colourful works of Latvian symphonic music alongside pieces by Latvian classics, including Andrejs Jurjāns’ Jandāls from the suite Latvian Dances and excerpts from Jāzeps Vītols’ Gemstones Suite. Audiences will also hear symphonic fragments by a number of distinguished Latvian composers, including Romualds Kalsons, Romualds Grīnblats, Imants Kalniņš, Jānis Ķepītis, Talivaldis Ķeniņš, and Pēteris Plakidis. In Nick Gotham’s arrangement of Ādolfs Skulte’s Bolero, the orchestra will be joined on stage by outstanding saxophonist Oskars Petrauskis and DJ Monsta.

Artūrs Plaudis is one of the most promising representatives of Latvia’s new generation of conductors. He is currently studying orchestral conducting at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in the conducting class of Andris Vecumnieks and maintains an active concert career, collaborating increasingly with Latvia’s professional music ensembles. Plaudis has worked with the Latvian Operetta Theatre as both conductor and assistant conductor and has gained experience with the South Jutland Symphony Orchestra in Denmark, the Andalusian Symphony Orchestra, and the Symphony Orchestra of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. He has participated in masterclasses with internationally renowned conductors including Jorma Panula, Vassily Sinaisky, Andris Poga, John Landor, and Jānis Liepiņš. In 2025, he became the first Latvian to take part in the prestigious Nordic Masterclass for Conductors under the guidance of Jorma Panula and Maria Badstue. In 2022, he won second prize at the Imants Kokars International Competition for Young Choral Conductors.

The LeNeSOn concert series is created by a strong creative team. The visual concept is overseen by artist Justīne Jasjukeviča, direction – by Paula Pļavniece, and dramaturgy – by Klāvs Mellis. Since the launch of the series, its Artistic Director has been composer, conductor, and educator Andris Vecumnieks.

Good to Know:

  • LeNeSOn events are recommended for children aged 5 to 11, though younger listeners are also welcome, at parents’ discretion regarding the child’s ability to remain attentive;
  • The concert is presented in two parts with an interval and lasts up to 1 hour 30 minutes;
  • Children up to and including 6 years of age who do not occupy a separate seat must have a special ticket (€1.50), available online or at the box office prior to the concert.