Lauma Akmene in Concert
Lauma Akmene
Recital with Latvian Organist Lauma Akmene
On April 24, 2022, at 4 pm, Lauma Akmene, Organist and Director of Music Ministries at Davis Lutheran Church, will play a recital at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Sacramento (1701 L Street; free parking in church garage nearby).
We will co-sponsor the event with St. John’s. Lauma is an excellent organist of Latvian descent and recently played a recital on the Sauer organ at Riga Cathedral.
Tickets are available at the door (cash or check) or on the St. John’s website here. $20 general, $15 AGO member/student/senior. Children free admission.
Latvian organist Lauma Akmene has participated in numerous concert series and festivals in Europe and Canada including “Concert of Latvian Sacred Music” during the XV Latvian Song Festival in Canada at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church in Toronto and “Four Seasons with Lauma Akmene” at Église du Très Saint Nom de Jésus in Montreal (intended to raise funds for the organ's restoration). Lauma advocates for female composers and composers of color, frequently performing their music at worship services and concerts. Lauma often includes music by Latvian composers in her concert programs.
Lauma studied organ with Hans-Ola Ericsson at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal and theology and church music at the Luther Academy in Riga. Lauma also studied organ and piano at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts of Plovdiv in Bulgaria. She has attended masterclasses in performance, improvisation, and choral conducting with well-known teachers in Europe and Canada (e.g. Olivier Latry, Jürgen Essl and James O'Donnell).
Lauma has been working in churches for 12 years and is currently the music director at Davis Lutheran Church in California. Lauma has been involved in the Lutheran church since her childhood. Her pastor noticed her interest in organ and recommended her for the Church Music studies program at the Luther Academy. While studying, Lauma started to play worship services.