Kristīne Balanas (born May 8, 1990) [1] [2] is a Latvian violinist who is a laureate of many international violin competitions.
Balanas received her first violin lessons at the age of seven [3] with Olita Meldere. [4] She later attended the Emīls Dārziņš Specialist Music School and studied with Romans Šnē. [4]
Balanas studied with Professor György Pauk at the Royal Academy of Music in London for her undergraduate degree, and graduated with a Master of Arts in 2014. [5] From 2014 to 2015, she was an Artist-in-Residence at Buckingham University.
Balanas has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the Moscow Soloists Chamber Orchestra, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, and the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra. [6] She has performed as a soloist in the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, London Philharmonic, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, EUYO Symphony Orchestra, Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonietta Riga, and Latvian National Orchestra. [4]
The Guardian's Joe Staines ranked Balanas as the best violinist at the Bishopsgate Institute's 2009 J&A Beare Solo Bach competition, characterising her performance as "outstanding" and "wonderful." [7] The following year she won second place. [8]
Balanas released a music video in April 2018, of her performing Ysaÿe's "Obsession" from his Second Violin Sonata, [9] and including her "dressing up as a violin-hurling femme fatale surrounded by ballet dancers," according to The Strad. [10] In 2020, she released a music video of her performance of Philip Glass' The Baptism. [11]
Balanas has a younger sister, Margarita, who is a cellist and a brother, Roberts, who is a violinist. [18]
Of the violinists, I felt that Kristine Balanas was outstanding and seemed the obvious winner of the entire competition [...] the wonderful Balanas
The second prize of £500 went to 20-year-old Latvian violinist Kristine Balanas
Kristine Balanas (Latvia) taking third
Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) - Awarded to former students who have made a significant contribution to the music profession [...] Kristine Balanas Violin
Kristina Balanas, ganadora del Premio al Talento Joven de esta Fundación
– «Jóvenes talentos»: ARTHUR Y LUCAS JUSSEN, y KRISTINA BALANAS
Kristīne Balanas (born May 8, 1990) [1] [2] is a Latvian violinist who is a laureate of many international violin competitions.
Balanas received her first violin lessons at the age of seven [3] with Olita Meldere. [4] She later attended the Emīls Dārziņš Specialist Music School and studied with Romans Šnē. [4]
Balanas studied with Professor György Pauk at the Royal Academy of Music in London for her undergraduate degree, and graduated with a Master of Arts in 2014. [5] From 2014 to 2015, she was an Artist-in-Residence at Buckingham University.
Balanas has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the Moscow Soloists Chamber Orchestra, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, and the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra. [6] She has performed as a soloist in the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, London Philharmonic, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, EUYO Symphony Orchestra, Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonietta Riga, and Latvian National Orchestra. [4]
The Guardian's Joe Staines ranked Balanas as the best violinist at the Bishopsgate Institute's 2009 J&A Beare Solo Bach competition, characterising her performance as "outstanding" and "wonderful." [7] The following year she won second place. [8]
Balanas released a music video in April 2018, of her performing Ysaÿe's "Obsession" from his Second Violin Sonata, [9] and including her "dressing up as a violin-hurling femme fatale surrounded by ballet dancers," according to The Strad. [10] In 2020, she released a music video of her performance of Philip Glass' The Baptism. [11]
Balanas has a younger sister, Margarita, who is a cellist and a brother, Roberts, who is a violinist. [18]
Of the violinists, I felt that Kristine Balanas was outstanding and seemed the obvious winner of the entire competition [...] the wonderful Balanas
The second prize of £500 went to 20-year-old Latvian violinist Kristine Balanas
Kristine Balanas (Latvia) taking third
Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) - Awarded to former students who have made a significant contribution to the music profession [...] Kristine Balanas Violin
Kristina Balanas, ganadora del Premio al Talento Joven de esta Fundación
– «Jóvenes talentos»: ARTHUR Y LUCAS JUSSEN, y KRISTINA BALANAS