The winners of “Riga Jazz Stage 2018” are as follows:

Category “Jazz Bass”

1st Place – Kaisa Mäensivu /Finland/

2nd Place – Jānis Rubiks /Latvia/

3rd Place – Michelangelo Scandroglio /Italy/

Category “Jazz Vocal”

1st Place – Kristina Kovalyova /Russia /

2nd Place – Camilla Barbillon /France/

3rd Place – Rūta Dūduma /Latvia/

The Special Prize of Maestro Raimonds Pauls was granted to Kristina Kovalyova for her original and unique performances.

1st place winner in the "Jazz Bass" category received the guitar Fender Jazz Bass, sponsored by AT & Trade.

1st place winners in both categories received € 1,500. 2nd and 3rd place winners - € 1000 and € 700.

The winners of the 1st place also received special prizes from Latvenergo.
Viktoria Anton (Ukraine), the winner of the vote for the "Riga Jazz Stage" and "Tele2" sympathy.

The following contestants received invitations to perform at these jazz festivals and venues:

Rigas Ritmi Festival, represented by Maris Briežkalns – Dagnis Roziņš, Kristina Kovalyova

Jazz Time Festival, represented by Toivo Unt – Kristina Kovalyova

Kaunas Jazz Festival, represented by Jonas Jučas – Laura Poldvere

Nardis Jazz Club, represented by Onder Focan – Camilla Barbillon

Ronnie Scott’s, represented by Paul Pace- Kristina Kovalyova, Katerīna Vasiļjeva, Kaisa Mäensivu, Robert Nomman

Beijing’s Nine Gates Jazz Festival, represented by Adam Yong Huang  - Kaisa Mäensivu, Michelangelo Skandroglio, Marta Gulioni, Katerīna Vasilyeva, Kristina Kovalyova

Jazz at Lincoln Center, represented by Georgina Javor - Kristina Kovalyova, Robert Nomman

Venezia Jazz Festival, represented by Giuseppe Mormile – Kristina Kovalyova, Kaisa Mäensivu.

65 applications from 22 countries were submitted to “Riga Jazz Stage 2018” – 28 young bassists and vocalists were chosen as contestants and invited to perform at the Live Performances and the Contest Finale, at cinema “Splendid Palace”, Riga.

Artist in Residence, Michael Pipoquinha performed a special project together with the Latvian Radio Big Band at the Gala Concert of Riga Jazz Stage 2018 in programme Tribute to Jaco. Michael also hosted a workshop at the cinema Splendid Palace.

Throughout the contest, jazz lovers had the chance to attend contest jam sessions at the jazz club “Trompete”.

See more pictures and read more at www.rigajazz.lv