Juris Kulakovs

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Juris Kulakovs was a Latvian musician, mainly known for his work in the groups "Menuets" and "Pērkons". Multi-instrumentalist, learned most musical instruments by self. 

Died less than a month (27 days) after the death of another musician of the group "Pērkons" - Uģ Muzikant (died 16.1.2024).

Member of the "Pērkons" group, former Minister of Culture Nauris Puntulis:

"The impression of Juris quite misleading. Yes, on the one hand – an extraordinary personality, a free thinker, a bohemian and the like, but in his essence he was very, very demanding and strict as a professional towards music, towards every sound he created and towards all those who perform his music. He was a very strict and demanding professional. A professional of the highest caliber, which is really rare in popular and rock music."

Biography

Born in Livani, Latvia

In 1975, he graduated from Livani 1st secondary school; learned to play the accordion and optionally learned to play the trumpet,

In the autumn of 1977, 4 students of Jāzeps Mediņas Music High School (high school) - Juris Kulakovs, Armands Alksnis, Ainars Ašmanis and Andris Reinis - decided to form a group. J. Kulakovs played keyboards, A. Alksnis - guitar, A. Ashmanis - bass guitar, A. Reinis - percussion instruments. The name of the group was formed by the first letters of the members' surnames - "ARKA". (source: Daiga Mazvērsīte)

In 1978, he joined the group "Minuet", played keyboard instruments in it until the group's disbandment in 1983, the group also performed some of Kulakov's compositions.

In 1979, he graduated from the Jázeps Mediņas Music High School, majoring in accordion. He later learned keyboard instruments and was one of the first owners of a synthesizer in Latvia.

In 1981, he founded the rock group "Pērkons", he is the author of almost all of its songs, keyboardist and leader of the group.

At the beginning of 1983, the public activity of the group "Pērkons" was banned by the order of the Minister of Culture of the LPSR Vladimirs Kaupužs. The university did not allow Kulakov to take the state exam, he received a diploma stating that he had attended a full theoretical course. The graduate was sent to Jelgava as a choirmaster.

In 1984, however, the group resumed its activities as the "Pērkons" ensemble of the Riga district kolkhoz "Padomju Latvija".

In 1984, he graduated from the class of leaders and conductors of wind and pop orchestras at the Latvian State Conservatory (pedagogues – Raimonds Pauls and Alnis Zaķis)

In the summer of 1985, after a concert at Ogre's stage and the subsequent vandalism of a train to Riga (episodes about it in J. Podnieka's film "Is it easy to be young?"), Pērkona's second performance ban followed.

1985 - 1990 studied composition with Pēteras Plakids, (information on the website of the Latvian Music Information Center).

In 1984, he graduated from the Faculty of Culture and Art Sciences of the Latvian State Conservatory, majoring in stage and brass band conducting, and also graduated from Pēteras Plakid's composition class.

In the 1980s, he composed songs for the concert programs of actor Edgars Liepiņš "Smile, the heart will lighten up", "Āprăc 88" etc.

Having also written music for theater and films, in the 1990s he focused on composing larger vocal-instrumental pieces. The musicals "Žilī" (1991) and "King of Latvia" (1992) written by Kulakov were staged at the Riga Musical Theater, and the rock opera "Cypsy's Dream" (2001) at the Daugavpils Theater.

In 2001, he received the Theater of the Year award for music by A. Saint-Exupéry for the play "The Little Prince" in the Liepāja Theater.

Since 2002, he was a member of the Latvian Composers' Union. Kulakov has also worked in the field of record production.

In 2020, the concert program "Cilvēk, tu esi!" of the band "Pērkons" was performed.

In 2021, the 40th anniversary of "Pērkons" was celebrated.

In 2022, "Pērkona" concerts were held together with the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, playing a program of Kulakov's compositions.
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