معرفی
Jānis Retenais serves as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Wind Instruments at the Latvian Academy of Music since 2010, where he has taught since 2002. He pioneered the Euphonium Class and established the Brass Ensemble of JVLMA in 2007, becoming the academy's first actively performing tuba professor.
His educational foundation includes:
- Graduation from the Tuba Class of JVLMA
- Master's degree in chamber ensemble performance under Prof. Boļeslavs Voļaks (trombone)
- Advanced studies at Luxembourg Conservatory with Prof. Patrick Krysatis
- Training at ArtEZ Institute of the Arts (Holland) with Prof. Joost Smeets
Retenais specializes in brass performance pedagogy, with expertise spanning tuba and euphonium techniques, brass ensemble development, wind band conducting, and chamber music innovation. His performance career includes premiering A. Vecumnieks' Concerto for Tuba and Brass Band and delivering over 1,000 concerts across symphonic orchestras, wind bands, and specialized ensembles.
His conducting achievements with the J.Mediņš Riga Secondary Music School Wind Band demonstrate exceptional leadership in competitive brass performance:
- Multiple Baltic and Latvian competition victories (2010-2014)
- International recognition in Lithuania and Latvia
- Grand Award at the Latvian Nationwide Song Festival (2013)
As an ensemble founder and artistic director, Retenais created the trombone-tuba quartet "Shady Brass Q" (700+ performances across 6 countries), BRASA NOVA, "Tubalogia", and "MAGIC 4", while initiating the Riga Brass Symposium and International Dixieland Festival "Umurga". His masterclass instruction extends to Latvian institutions, ArtEZ Institute of the Arts, and Luxembourg Conservatory.
