Artists:
DAGAMBA
Festival Orchestra
On September 6, the world-renowned group DAGAMBA returns to Latvia for the grand finale of Dzintari Concert Hall’s summer season, offering a spectacular musical experience together with a specially formed Festival Symphony Orchestra.
The group’s motto is to break boundaries and unite the seemingly incompatible – different worlds, traditions, and generations of listeners. They are classical music rockers and rebels, brilliant arrangers whose large-scale concerts at Arena Riga, Mežaparks Open-Air Stage, and Palladium have drawn thousands of fans. DAGAMBA has also performed in New York’s Times Square alongside stars from the Metropolitan Opera and at the legendary Glastonbury Festival. Classically trained musicians, they boldly fuse pop, rock, classical, and world music in their performances. Their shows are monumental and striking, breathing vibrant dynamism and vitality into classical melodies.
The concert program will showcase DAGAMBA’s signature style – the interplay of classical and rock music, vivid arrangements, and the power of a rock-orchestra. The beloved group will blur styles and break down barriers, presenting classical music in original interpretations with a symphony orchestra and rock music infused with classical elements.
The group’s discography includes several acclaimed albums: “Ludwig Van Rammstein”, where the legendary German band Rammstein meets Ludwig van Beethoven; “DAGAMBA feat Tchaikovsky”, which energizes the emotional and melodic works of Romantic genius Pyotr Tchaikovsky with the dynamics and rhythm of rock; and most recently, “Bach Against the Machine” (2023). Their newest radio single, “Vēlos pats būt” (2024), created in collaboration with vocalist Miks Galvanovskis, marks the group’s return to an even more expressive rock sound.
In the past season, the group experienced several major milestones, including an 11-city tour in China – the largest solo concert tour ever undertaken by a Latvian ensemble in a single country. Audiences from Qingdao to Xi’an witnessed the explosive energy of “Bach Against the Machine” and sang along to Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” In November 2024, DAGAMBA celebrated a triumphant debut at New York’s legendary Town Hall – a landmark event not only for DAGAMBA but also for independent musicians and bands from Latvia. This iconic venue has hosted artists such as Celine Dion, Bob Dylan, Whitney Houston, Louis Armstrong, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Charlie Parker, and many other great performers.
“We are ready to break boundaries as boldly as ever – this time together with a full symphony orchestra. Dzintari is a special place for us, and for the season finale, we want to give the audience an explosion they’ll be talking about for a long time,” — says cellist and DAGAMBA founder Valters Pūce.
DAGAMBA was founded in 2011 by cellist Valters Pūce. He was joined by childhood friend and fellow cellist Antons Trocjuks. After a few years of experimenting with different musical styles and instruments, they met pianist Dainis Tenis. In 2016, drummer Artūrs Jermaks joined the group. The youngest member, double bassist Alise Broka, became part of DAGAMBA in 2020. Over the years, the group has performed in more than 15 countries. All six of DAGAMBA’s studio albums – “New Life” (2012), “Recycled” (2015), “Seasons” (2016), “#LudwigVanRammstein” (2017), “DAGAMBA feat Tchaikovsky” (2019), and “Bach Against the Machine” (2023) – have been nominated for Latvia’s equivalent of the Grammy Awards, the “Golden Microphone.” The “#LudwigVanRammstein” album won in the categories of Best Album Design and Best Instrumental Music Album.
