In his own words
Discovering Lūcija Garūta
Collin first encountered Lūcija Garūta through her Piano Concerto. Drawn to its folk themes, emotional depth, and the way Garūta’s life shaped her music, what began as a school assignment soon developed into a much broader exploration of her work. Her story strengthened his conviction that classical music can serve as a powerful form of cultural memory and preservation.
His admiration soon expanded to Garūta’s songs, which he began rehearsing with his friend and tenor Zachary Mcdonald. They initially worked from the German translations before turning to the original Latvian text, giving the music an entirely new emotional immediacy. Preparing the opera excerpts presented a different challenge: with no existing recordings to rely on, the performers developed their interpretation directly from the score, the dramatic context, and the completed English translation.
Listen to Lūcijas Garūtas music
By Pianist Collin Turley
“Lullaby song”
“Elegy”
“My Dream!”
“Holly Love”
“Lords Prayer”
Cantata “God Youre Earth is Bruning”
Opera “Silver Bird” – “Duet”
Opera “Silver Bird” – Elga’s Elegy
Opera “Silver Bird” – Mario’s Aria