Mr. Petraskevics initially studied violin at the Emils Darzinš Music School from 1985-94, but later studied composition there with Gederts Ramans from 1994-96. He studied composition with Peteris Plakidis at the Latvian Academy of Music in Riga from 1996-2003. He also studied composition with Sven-David Sandström at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm in 1998-99, on a scholarship from the Swedish Institute, and has had post-graduate studies in composition with Ole Lützow-Holm at the University of Gothenburg since 2004. In addition, he has attended Darmstadt (1998), Royaumont (2000), Domaine Forget (2001), and the Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart (2003).

His honors include a commission from Ensemble Intercontemporain (2001) and First Prize in the competition of the Association of Baltic Academies of Music in Hamburg (2003, for et la nuit illumina la nuit, Op. 2). In addition, his Flight of the Arrow. Just heaving in sight and...far afar, Op. 1 represented Latvia at the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers (1997). Ensemble Ictus, the Nieuw Ensemble, the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, and the Riga Chamber Players have played his music in Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland.

CONTACT INFORMATION