Photo credits: Ilmārs Znotiņs, Chancery of the President of Latvia
Paul Berkolds is a distinguished singer, musician, and conductor deeply committed to Latvian music and culture. He serves as the Music Director for the Grand Rapids Song and Dance Festival and is the chief conductor and organizer of the Latvian Song Festival for the diaspora. Additionally, he leads both the Los Angeles and Michigan Latvian choirs and heads the VoiceArts program at the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles, California.
Throughout his ongoing singing career, Paul has performed over 250 solo concerts and premiered numerous works by Latvian composers. In recognition of his significant contributions to Latvian culture, he was awarded Latvia’s highest honor, the Order of the Three Stars, in May 2024.
Did songs, especially Latvian songs, always play a role in your family?
At home our language was always Latvian, and there was a lot of music—especially folk songs. My mother was training to become an opera singer; she had a good mezzo-soprano voice, but because of the war, she couldn’t pursue that career. Still, both she and my father introduced me to music early on. I think I saw my first opera when I was about 16.
There was also choir music in community where I grew up. When I was around 14, I began singing in the Seattle Latvian Choir and the Staburadze Quintet, a singing group in which I played and arranged music. I’d say that music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
Did your parents support your decision to pursue a career as a professional musician?
My mother had to convince my father that pursuing a degree in opera was the right path for me. He had always wanted me to become a doctor, that had been his own dream, one that the war disrupted too. But in the end, I didn’t become a medical doctor; I became a musical doctor, so it all worked out.
How many Song Festivals, both in the diaspora and in Latvia, have you contributed to?
It’s getting close to 30 Song Festivals. My first one was in Vancouver in 1975, and I’ve been involved in many ways—as a chorus member, soloist, conductor, and organizer. In 2023, I attended my first Song Festival in Latvia, which was a bucket list experience for me, singing in my parents’ homeland. I did this with the Michigan Latvian Choir, which I now conduct, continuing the work of the late musician and composer Andrejs Jansons, one of the choir’s original organizers. I’ve always seen him as an important musical figure not only in my life, but in the diaspora, and I’m honored to pick up where he left off.
It’s often said that a choir is more than just singing. Would you agree?
Singing together creates a sense of community. There are studies showing that the act of singing releases endorphins, which make people feel good. It’s also an activity that bonds Latvians in the diaspora and promotes national pride. We hope that the diaspora feels like part of the larger Latvian community—almost like an additional region of Latvia.
What are your duties on the Grand Rapids Festival Organizing Committee?
I’ll be the Music Director for the Grand Rapids Song Festival in 2026, responsible for several events, including the mass choir concert, guest choir, and chamber music concerts. I’ll also provide input on other festival aspects, such as rock and pop concerts and various additional events that require music.
Have choirs from Latvia or other Latvian diaspora communities shown interest in participating in the festival?
Choirs from Latvia have expressed interest in our festival, as well as from diaspora choirs in Europe. In Toronto, there was even a choir from Brazil which said it wanted to participate! We’re not just a small regional festival, and we would love to welcome everyone, but concert hall space is limited, and we must comply with fire codes and other regulations.
There will be choirs from both Latvia and the diaspora. However, it’s important to give priority to choirs and dance groups from outside Latvia, as these festivals are central to our existence. Therefore our goal first and foremost is to promote these activities here in the diaspora.
How does the Latvian Song Festival appeal to American and other international audiences, especially those unfamiliar with Latvian culture?
There’s been a growing interest in Latvian culture, especially as the world has become more closely connected. People in the U.S. and Canada are discovering the richness of Latvian music, and it’s now much easier to make connections globally. It wasn’t like this when I was growing up, but in the last 20 years, interest in Latvian culture has grown and people are beginning to appreciate its magnificence.
I’ve discovered that some of my American colleagues are already familiar with the Latvian choir movement. There’s interest here, especially in top-notch choirs from Latvia and in chamber music.
The Song and Dance Festival is a folk festival, so the expectations for choirs might be a bit different. But when I mention that I’ll be conducting 600 singers, people’s eyes light up—that’s something rarely seen here. And, of course, there’s the incredible experience of singing as part of a choir of 16,000, as at the Song Festival in Latvia.
How did it feel to receive Latvia’s highest honor?
The feeling is pretty overwhelming. I know several others who have received this award. It’s an honor to be recognized, not just for one thing, but for a lifetime of contributions to the Latvian community—from my early days singing Latvian music in concerts, to my involvement with various choirs and masterclasses in Latvia for young musicians. It has been a long and rewarding road.
I am deeply honored. At the same time, I know there are many others in the diaspora who have contributed to Latvia in meaningful ways, politically or culturally. I hope they, too, are honored someday.
But for now, I’ll just keep moving forward, doing what I’ve always done.