Entertainment

Lauma Skrid is equally at home on the international podium as a soloist and chamber musician. The winner of the Beethoven Ring 2008 works with conductors such as Pedro Halffter, Andris Nelsons, Muhai Tang and John Storgärds and instrumentalists such as Anne-Sophie Mutter, Daniel Müller-Schott, Sol Gabetta, Julian Steckei, Jörg Widmann, Christian Tetzlaff and Tanja Tetzlaff. She has been performing internationally with great success in the Skride Quartet with her sister Baiba Skride, Harriet Krijgh and Lise Berthaud since 2016. She has released several CDs. Lauma Skride was born in Riga in 1982 and studied at the music academy in her home city (Anita Paze) and at the music academy in Hamburg (Volker Banfield). She has successfully participated in numerous international competitions since the age of eleven.

For thirty years, cellist Gregory Bennett Walmsley has traveled the world to perform in all the different genres that the glorious art of classical music offers: Opera, symphonies, ballet and chamber music. He has performed on five continents with such renowned musicians as Antal Dorati, George Solti, Colin Davis, Simon Rattle, Kurt Masur and Bernard Haitink. After 20 years as a member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Gregory moved to Berlin with his partner, the pianist Lauma Skride, and their daughter Beatrice Lulu. He began playing the cello at the age of 10 and was a junior student at the Royal Academy. After completing his studies with Derek Simpson and Lynn Harrell at the Academy of Music in London, he was awarded a scholarship to study with Bernard Greenhouse at Rutgers University (USA). Future projects include performing Bach's Cello Suites at the London Eye and at chamber music festivals in the Netherlands and Germany. Gregory plays an Italian cello from Trieste.

Born in Riga, Latvia (2006), Elza Siliņa ir a violinist with extensive training and performance experience. She began her violin studies at the age of six and is currently studying in Jāzeps Mediņš Riga 1st Music School with Antti Kortelainen. She has participated in masterclasses across Europe with world renowned professor Mihaela Martin. Elza has won multiple competitions, including the 1st prize at the Valdis Vikmanis’ Competition (2024), 2nd prize and special award for Beethoven sonata interpretation at the 10th International Louis Spohr Competition for Young Violinists (2022) and more. She has performed widely as a soloist and chamber musician. In 2024, she performed in New Year’s concerts with Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, Participated in the Liepāja “Star Festival” and has given chamber music concerts in Latvia, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Finland and Switzerland playing in different kinds of chamber music ensembles, including string quartet, string quintet, string octet and piano trio. She has performed in major venues such as the “Great Amber”, “Latvija”, and “Cēsis” concert hall in Latvia, National Coach Museum in Portugal, Music Conservatory of Geneva and more. Elza has collaborated with musicians like pianist Lauma Skride, accordionist Ksenija Sidorova and composer Raimonds Pauls. Her dedication and achievements reflect her continuous development as a musician through international performances and collaborations. 

A shared love of music brought the four “Akustiker” together to study jazz in Berlin — and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Fifteen years ago, the idea was born to create a purely acoustic band that would evoke memories: of first secret kisses in the basement at teenage parties, or of long nights around the campfire. Crackling, unplugged, and with vocal arrangements written especially for them, their goal was to make the hidden gems of pop, beat, and swing shine anew. All four are active in other musical realms — the group includes a music professor, a film composer, and two members more often seen on the world’s stages than at home. Today, they perform to critical acclaim across Europe, captivating audiences with their expressive power and boundless passion for music. With their natural charm and infectious joy of playing, Die Akustischen Vier have even been known to get entire parliaments dancing. Their spontaneous jam sessions with prime ministers, global players, and TV detectives have caused a stir — often revealing unexpected musical talents. Even Prince Albert II of Monaco couldn’t resist joining in at one of their concerts on the Côte d’Azur. When not on the road, the gentlemen call Berlin and Hamburg home.

Ispasion Show Productions is a dance company known worldwide for its impressive creativity and graceful beauty. The main mission of the artists is to create unforgettable stage experiences that evoke emotions and captivate the audience.

Dance in its various forms is the central focus. Neo-Flamenco and Neo-Tango, Spanish and contemporary dance, as well as ballet, combine with cutting-edge stage technology and avant-garde visual effects to create a top-tier show.

The artists of the company are talented dancers with diverse backgrounds. They are admired not only for their flawless technique but also for their breathtaking interpretations and expressive stage presence.