After a long break, Latvia will return to participate in one of the most important European events in the world of classical music — the competition 'Eurovision: Young Musicians', which will take place in Yerevan (Armenia) on June 6, 2026.
To this end, the Latvian Music Festival is organizing a national selection 'Young Virtuoso of Latvia' to choose Latvia's representative for the international competition.
The national selection is intended for young musicians from professional music educational institutions in several cities of Latvia: Riga, Cēsis, Daugavpils, Rēzekne, Ventspils, Jelgava, Jūrmala, and Liepāja. Two candidates will be nominated from each educational institution, selected by the teachers and management of the institution.
The selection and auditions of participants will take place in January 2026, where candidates will perform two classical music pieces. A jury consisting of experts in classical music and representatives of the Latvian Music Society will select six finalists. The final will be broadcast on February 15 on the LTV1 channel and the 'REplay.lv' website, where young musicians will perform with an orchestra. The winner of the competition will have the opportunity to represent Latvia at the international competition in Yerevan.
'Our participation in the competition will enhance the prestige of music professionals, and European audiences will have a broader opportunity to get to know our young musicians, as the competition is broadcast on public television and in other countries,' said Ieva Rozentāle, head of the culture department of Latvian Television.
Since 1982, the international competition 'Eurovision: Young Musicians' has brought together the most outstanding young musicians in Europe. It features young talents from European countries aged 12 to 21, performing solo pieces accompanied by a symphony orchestra. The winners of the competition gain international recognition and the opportunity to perform at major concerts and festivals, taking their first steps in their professional careers.
The previous competition took place in 2024 in the Norwegian city of Bodø, which was then the European Capital of Culture, and involved 11 countries. Latvia has participated in the competition five times — from 1994 to 2002, with the best result achieved in the debut year when pianist Liene Čirzene took 2nd place.
