Jānis Semjonovs studied clarinet performance in the Jāzeps Mediņš Riga Secondary School under Uldis Plēpis and continued in the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music under professor Ģirts Pāže, where in 2003 he switched from the clarinet to the bassoon and continued his studies under Andris Arnicāns, obtaining a Bachelor’s degree. He earned a Master’s degree from the JVLAM in 2011 under Dzintars Jurgelaitis. From 2006 to 2009 he studied un the Berlin University of the Arts under Eckart Hübner.

Jānis Semjonovs is the principal bassoon of Sinfonietta Rīga since the founding of the orchestra in 2006 and since 2009 he has also been working as the principal bassoonist in the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. Jānis was nominated for the Latvian Grand Music award in the category “Outstanding Work in an Ensemble”.

Alongside his work in orchestras, Jānis actively performs in chamber ensembles – he plays in the Sinfonietta Rīga Woodwind Quintet and the Sinfonietta Rīga Baroque Ensemble.

Jānis Semjonovs has worked as a teacher in the Emīls Dārziņš Music School (2008-2011) and since 2010 Jānis is a lecturer in the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music.

More about Jānis: janissemjonovs.lv/