Evija Skuķe (*1992) studied at the Riga Cathedral Choir School (1999–2008), where she studied composition with Pauls Dambis. She then studied in the music theory department at the Emils Dārziņš College of Music (2008–2011, composition with Pēteris Vasks). As of 2011, she is studying composition at the Latvian Academy of Music with Selga Mence. She has participated in many master classes. Her works have received awards at the Latvian music college student creative composition competition (1st place in 2006 and 2009, 2nd place in 2007). For her composition Trans(s) for string quartet, she was awarded first place at the international composition competition “Città di Udine X” in Italy (2014). She received the 2014 award from the Latvian Academy of Music and Swedbank. Her music has been performed at the festival Latvijas Jaunās mūzikas dienas. Her composition A Vocalist’s Dies Irae or an Extreme Fugue for One Voice, as performed by Laima Lediņa, was included in Ieva Epnere’s documentary short film Extreme Fugue for One Voice. Laima (2013). She works at the Salaspils School of Music and Art as a teacher of solfeggio. “Music is everywhere – you just have to know how to hear it.” Evija Skuķe