Kristaps Bergs is a cellist and chamber musician from Riga, Latvia. He was born in the family of musicians and already in early age showed his passion for music. Cello playing has brought Kristaps to most prestigious music venues in the world like Carnegie Hall in New York, W. Disney Hall in Los Angeles, Vienna Musikverein, Vienna Konzerthaus, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall in London, Suntory Hall in Tokyo to name a few.
Kristaps made his soloist debut in 2005 in Riga Guild Hall together with Andris Nelsons as a conductor and Latvian National Symphony Orchestra where he performed Camille Saint-Saens cello concerto in a minor. The same year he had the an opportunity to work with great maestro Mstislav Rostropovich, who did inspire Kristaps further development. In 2006 Kristaps was accepted in the prestigious University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna where he studied with Reinhard Latzko. In 2011 Kristaps was accepted into the class of famous cellist and conductor Heinrich Schiff, who had an enormous influence on Kristaps further music development.
Next to his studies in Vienna, Kristaps participated in many masterclasses all across Europe with artists like David Geringas, Frans Helmerson,Anner Bylsma, Arto Noras, Valter Despalj and others.Kristaps is a winner of numerous national and international competitions including 1st prize in Johannes Brahms competition in 2008, 1st prize in Carl Davidov competition in 2006 and 1st prize in August Dombrovsky competition in 2005. He also has received several prizes from Latvian Ministry of Culture for an outstanding success and promotion of Latvian music culture.
Kristaps has collaborated and performed together with an artists like Andris Nelsons, Heinrich Schiff, Ida Hendel, Eduard Schmieder, Reinhard Latzko, Christian Altenburger, Natalia Prischepenko, Peteris Vasks, Giovanni Sollima, Helmut Lachenmann and others.
Currently Kristaps holds principal Cello position in Brussels Philharmonic. He also regularly works as guest member with Vienna Philharmonic, Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
Thanks to a generous private sponsor Kristaps performs on very special and precious cellos by Lorenzo Ventapane from Naples, Italy dating from 1836.
Thanks to a generous private sponsor Kristaps performs on very special and precious cellos by Lorenzo Ventapane from Naples, Italy dating from 1836.