Reinis Zariņš is a classical concert pianist who seeks, through music, to sound the mystery of Life.
"There are refractions of Life everywhere, we all participate in its mystery. But it’s not for sale, nor is it for keeps. I wish to know Life as intimately as a mortal can, and music is my map, my road sign for this mystery. In music, I find some of the deepest and most profound expressions of Life’s wonder."
Upcoming Concerts
Thu 22 Oct 19:00
Schumann & Plakidis concertos with Sinfonietta Rīga, A.Poga
Latvian University Great hall, Rīga
"Zariņš’ embrace of the music’s monumentality and its intimacy was remarkable."
The Guardian
Latest Album
UNDULATIONS is a polaroid of our time, as witnessed by Latvian composers. The two discs’ worth of music has been written in the last decade, mostly, and a great majority of this material was written for Reinis or was commissioned by Reinis, so there is a level of personal responsibility in Reinis’ bringing this music to lasting life in the form of an album. However, Reinis prefers to emphasise how loaded this music is with beauty and something deeply real, and he sees these qualities as the true reason for wanting to make this record in the first place.
Clearly, this collection can in no way demonstrate the fullness of Latvian piano music of the 21st century, since there is so much more, including large-scale works written for Reinis, as well as many others already committed to discs, and many written after the studio sessions had finished in November 2025. With UNDULATIONS, Reinis deliberately chose to show a wider spectrum of current composers, therefore choosing shorter works.
Reinis’ relationship with the various works on this album is described in the album booklet by Reinis himself. Additionally, there is a fuller booklet version available on skani.lv which includes composers’ commentaries on their works, in English and Latvian.
Album released by SKANi on 16 October 2026
Gallery photos by Jānis Porietis, Jānis Vecbrālis, Pauls Zvirbulis, Veronika Lokotko, Seoul Arts Center
A fragment from Messiaen’s Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus
This two-hour long meditation on the birth of Christ is one of Reinis’ signature programmes.
Rzewski’s notorious Winnsboro cotton mill blues