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1. Composer Krists Auznieks has been praised for his “exhilarating… stunning… luminous“ (San Francisco Classical Voice) music, possessing “astonishing complexity and beauty“ (Broadwayworld), “other-worldly harmonies” (The New York Concert Review), “extraordinarily imaginative writing” (BBC Radio 3), “old-fashioned elegance” (Herald Tribune). His quintet “Piano” was featured in The New York Times among the week’s best classical music moments; he is also a recipient of Aspen Music Festival’s Jacob Druckman Prize, International Rostrum of Composers 2021 Award, and the youngest composer to ever receive the Latvian Grand Music Award. In 2021 he was also named the Person of the Year in Latvian Culture. He has also received the Richard Wagner scholarship and fellowships from the Hermitage Artist Retreat and Civitella Ranieri.

   Auznieks has been commissioned by Atlanta Symphony, Aspen and Norfolk festivals, American Composers Orchestra, MATA, Bang on A Can, Swedish Radio, Kremerata Baltica, Cappella Amsterdam, Latvian Radio Choir, and Sinfonietta Riga. In the season 22/23 he was a resident composer with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. His music has been performed at The Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Royal Danish Theatre, Beijing National Arts Centre, Shanghai City Theatre, Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw, The Southbank Center, Théâtre Maisonneauve (Montreal), The Kitchen (NYC), and National Sawdust (NYC). Currently he is working on two operas: for the Latvian National Opera and the renewed Riga Wagner House. In 2025 he is also working with the Dutch director Ola Mafalaani on two theatre plays for Daile Theatre in Riga and the Dutch National Theatre.

   He received a Doctoral degree from Yale School of Music; he has served on the faculty of Yale School of Music, Montclair State University, Latvian Music Academy, and has also taught for New York Philharmonic's Very Young Composers Program. He currently serves as the Associate Professor at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, the chairman of the Music Technology department, and the chairman of the Latvian Composers Union.