Latvian cellist Kristina Blaumane performs internationally as a concerto soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician.

She was born in Riga and graduated from the Latvian Academy of Music, studying with Eleonora Testeleca, before continuing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under Professor Stefan Popov.

As a soloist, she has appeared with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (under Vladimir Jurowski, Osmo Vänskä, Andrey Boreyko, and Thierry Fischer), Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Chicago Civic Orchestra (Andris Nelsons), MDR Symphony Orchestra (Kristjan Järvi), Kremerata Baltica, Britten Sinfonia, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Latvian National Opera Orchestra, Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonietta Riga, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Sofia Soloists, Plovdiv Opera Orchestra, Netherlands Wind Ensemble, Ensemble Ubertini, Dalarna Sinfonietta, and others.

A passionate chamber musician, Kristina has collaborated with a remarkable array of artists including Isaac Stern, Leif Ove Andsnes, Yuri Bashmet, Gidon Kremer, Yo-Yo Ma, Janine Jansen, Julian Rachlin, Boris Brovtsyn, Roman Mints, Maxim Rysanov, Katya Apekisheva, Jacob Katsnelson, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Misha Maisky, Nikolaj Znaider, Tatyana Grindenko, and Oleg Maisenberg. She has appeared at major festivals such as Lockenhaus, Gstaad, Salzburg, Verbier, Basel, Jerusalem, Amsterdam Cello Biennale, Utrecht, Spitalfields, Cheltenham, Aldeburgh, Homecoming, and Crescendo.

Dedicated to the promotion of new music, Kristina has premiered cello concertos by Dobrinka Tabakova, Kristaps Pētersons, Pēteris Plakidis, Artem Vassiliev, and Elena Langer. She appears as a soloist on the ECM debut album of composer Dobrinka Tabakova, which reached No. 2 in the UK classical charts and received a GRAMMY nomination. In addition to ECM, she has recorded for ONYX, QUARTZ, and BMG.

Kristina is a winner of numerous prizes, including Latvian Philharmonic Young Musician of the Year, the Latvian Television Competition "Alternatīva," the Carmel International Competition, the Musicians Benevolent Fund, and the Lord Mayor's Prize. She is a two-time recipient of the Latvian State's Grand Music Award (Lielā Mūzikas Balva), the country's highest musical honour (2005 and 2007).

Since 2007, Kristina has combined her active solo and chamber career with her role as Principal Cellist of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

(Photo by Jānis Deviants)