Imant Raminsh

Imant Karlis Raminsh (b. 18 September, 1943) is a Canadian composer, best known for his choral compositions. Born in Ventspils, Latvia, he came to Canada in 1948 and became a naturalized citizen in 1954. He completed an ARCT (Associate of The Royal Conservatory of Music) diploma in violin at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada and a Bachelor of Music programme at the University of Toronto, where he studied with Elmer Iseler. He then spent two years at the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, during which he studied composition, fugue, violin and conducting, and played in the professional Camerata Academica orchestra. He established the music department at the College of New Caledonia in British Columbia and was also the founding conductor of the New Caledonia Chamber Orchestra. He is a two-time winner of the biennial Canadian National Choral Awards in the category of "Outstanding Choral Work", first in 1990 for his Magnificat and again in 1994 for his Veni Sancte Spiritus.

Discography

Love Songs for a Small Planet (1994) - "In the Night we Shall Go", "Psalm 121", and "Smile, O Voluptuous Cool-breath'd Earth". CBC Vancouver Orchestra, Vancouver Chamber Choir, soloists Ian Hampton and Linda Lee Thomas, Jon Washburn (conductor). Centrediscs - CMCCD 4893
Songs of the Lights (2000) - "Songs of the Lights". Toronto Children's Chorus, Ruth Watson Henderson and Jean Ashworth Bartle (conductors). Marquis Classics - ERAD 253
Choral Concert (2000) - "Ave Verum Corpus".
Simple Gifts (2001) - "A Northwest Trilogy". Vancouver Chamber Choir, Jon Washburn (conductor). CBC Records - SMCD 5097
Songs of the Lights (2001). CBC Vancouver Orchestra, soloist Sandra Graham, Jon Washburn (conductor). CBC Records - SMCD 5116
Earth Chants (2002). Vancouver Chamber Choir, CBC Vancouver Orchestra, Jon Washburn (conductor). CBC Records - SMCD 5219
Child with the Starry Crayon (2004) - "Deux chansons". Oriana Singers, William Brown (conductor). Independent - VA 2004-1
Blessed is the World that Sings (2005) - "Ave Verum Corpus". Cantilon Chamber Choir, Heather Johnson (conductor). Arktos Recordings - ARK 200586
Introduction to Canadian Music (2006) - "Ave Verum Corpus". Vancouver Chamber Choir. Naxos - NAXOS 855017