On 30 May at 11:00, the “Islet of Love” in Ķemeri Resort Park – a romantic artificial island with a historic rotunda – will, for the first time, become an elegant open-air stage for internationally acclaimed Latvian pianist Andrejs Osokins. The morning concert will resonate with the golden era of Ķemeri resort life in the 1920s and 1930s, when music accompanied strolls through the park and cultural events formed an essential part of the resort atmosphere.

The concert programme will feature piano music from different decades – Jānis Mediņš’ folk-song inspired miniatures, virtuosic piano works by Jāzeps Vītols, compositions by Lūcija Garūta, Ādolfs Skulte and Raimonds Tiguls, alongside emotionally charged piano miniatures by Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin.

Andrejs Osokins is a laureate of major international piano competitions and has performed at some of Europe’s most prestigious concert venues, including the Berlin Philharmonic, London’s Royal Festival Hall and Wigmore Hall, Milan’s La Verdi, Munich’s Gasteig, Brussels’ La Monnaie and Paris’ Opéra Comique. He is the founder and artistic director of the Osokins Freedom Festival, a recipient of the Order of the Three Stars, and Head of the Piano Department at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music.

Ahead of the concert, Andrejs Osokins shared his thoughts on Jūrmala, the historic atmosphere of Ķemeri and the connection between music and nature.

Jūrmala has had a strong concert tradition for more than a century – summers here were filled with symphonic music and performances by European orchestras. Music also shaped everyday life in Ķemeri Park, from orchestra concerts to radio broadcasts heard during leisurely walks. If you could briefly step back into that era, in which scene from Jūrmala’s or Ķemeri’s historic concert life would you most like to see yourself performing?

“I would most like to see myself in that magical and mysterious moment between the two World Wars – in the flourishing 1920s, during the brilliance of Latvia’s first independence. I would sit at a grand piano in the garden of Ķemeri Hotel or in the rotunda at dusk, when the coolness of the sea can already be felt in the air and the distant brass instruments gradually fade away, giving space to the intimacy of the piano. It would have been a time when music inspired through the beauty of melody and diversity of styles, like breathing in harmony with nature. I would probably play something from the modernism of that era – perhaps works by the Mediņš brothers or Lūcija Garūta – to feel that incredible energy where elegant leisure meets the heights of European piano music.”

Your Resort Festival concert will take place on the “Islet of Love” in the historic Ķemeri Park – a place with a nearly century-old rotunda and its own musical traditions. If this place were a piano composition, what genre would it sound like – a nocturne, a waltz, a prelude or perhaps an impressionist miniature?

“The Islet of Love, with its white rotunda and reflections on the water, would undoubtedly sound like an impressionist miniature. It would not have a strict form, but rather resemble a play of light and shadow or the movement of water, similar to Claude Debussy’s music. There would be a touch of nocturne-like mystery, yet above all, it would capture the fleeting beauty of the moment, dissolving into cascading sounds that do not truly end, but simply fade into the air.”

Are there composers whose musical worlds evoke associations with Jūrmala – its proximity to the sea and resort atmosphere?

“For me, Jūrmala and the closeness of the sea resonate most strongly with the musical worlds of Frédéric Chopin and Claude Debussy. In Chopin’s music, there is that restless, wave-like motion combined with a delicate, painful beauty that reminds me of the sea in autumn. Debussy, meanwhile, can capture the shimmering surface of water and the infinity of the horizon. And then there is our own Jāzeps Vītols – his musical landscapes contain that northern clarity and calm that can only be found in Jūrmala’s dunes, as well as the majestic beauty of the Baltic Sea so precisely reflected in his song ‘Song of the Waves’.”

If you were to write a short piano miniature titled “Jūrmala”, what mood would you place within it?

“It would begin with an almost inaudible low hum – like the distant breath of the sea. The atmosphere would be transparent, luminous and slightly melancholic. In the middle section, a light and playful rhythm would appear, reminiscent of wind moving through pine trees, before the piece returned to a single clear chord symbolising the peace we feel while watching the sunset. It would be music about a person pausing for a moment before the grandeur of nature.”

Jūrmala, as a resort city, combines closeness to nature with a rich cultural life. How has this unique environment inspired you over the years as a pianist and artist?

“For me, Jūrmala has always been a place to clear my mind after demanding concert tours. An artist needs openness and space in order not to sink into routine, and Jūrmala’s horizon provides exactly that. This environment teaches one to listen to silence, which, for a pianist, is just as important as playing itself. The atmosphere of Dzintari Concert Hall, where music merges with the sound of the sea, is a unique experience that makes one perform differently – more freely and naturally. Here I am reminded that art is not a competition, but a gift to all of us, something joyful to share within this magnificent natural setting.”

What Else to Experience in Ķemeri During the Resort Festival

This Resort Festival morning in Ķemeri can begin even before Andrejs Osokins’ concert – with a sunrise adventure in the Great Ķemeri Bog. Ozolaivas offers peaceful boat rides through the flooded peat-quarry labyrinths, where the misty early-morning landscape takes on an almost surreal atmosphere, while Advaita Adventures invites visitors to experience sunrise on SUP boards, gliding across the mirror-like water in complete tranquillity. Both experiences are guided and include equipment and safety instructions, offering a memorable and nature-filled start to the day.

After the concert, the day can continue in Ķemeri Resort Park – one of Latvia’s most scenic historic resort parks. Its winding pathways along the Vēršupīte River, bridges, pavilions, the sulphur spring “Ķirzaciņa” (Lizard), the rotunda on the “Islet of Love” and the parterre of Ķemeri Hotel all evoke the atmosphere of the 19th-century resort era. The park can be explored independently with an audio guide in Latvian and English or through guided tours taking place at 9:30 and 12:15 during the Resort Festival.

Also located within Ķemeri Resort Park is the Ķemeri Water Tower, featuring viewing platforms at 12 and 42 metres and an exhibition dedicated to the history of Ķemeri. From the upper platform, visitors can enjoy wide views across pine treetops, the curves of the Vēršupīte River and the historic resort architecture.

The walk can then continue into the restored Ķemeri Forest Park, where the historic resort environment gradually transitions into forest landscape. The park preserves its historic network of pathways along the Vēršupīte River and now includes walking and cycling trails, picnic areas and nature interpretation points. Two restored historic stone masonry bridges crossing the river add a particularly romantic atmosphere and remain among the park’s most visually striking features.

Please note that photography and filming will take place during the event. The resulting material may be used for publicity purposes.

Before travelling to the Resort Festival, please note that Ķemeri is not located within Jūrmala’s special access zone. However, when visiting festival venues in other parts of Jūrmala, entry into the zone requires a day pass costing EUR 5.00, valid on the selected date until 23:59.