Valdis Zilveris (b. 1963) studied in the accordion class of Edgars Mūrnieks at the Gulbene Children’s Music School, then at the Ventspils Music High School in the music theory department, where he learned the basics of composition. He won the composition competition for students of Latvian music secondary schools (1982). He studied at the Latvian State Conservatory in the composition class of Pauls Dambis (1982–1987) and graduated with honours. During his studies, he worked as an accompanist at the Theatre Faculty of the Latvian State Conservatory and started composing music for theatre performances and the conservatory’s chamber ensemble Voir Dit. He improved his knowledge at the Lodz Conservatory in Poland (1987), the Utrecht Conservatory in the Netherlands (1991), the Southern Illinois University in the USA (1989), and the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. (1993). He was a lecturer at the composition department of Janis Vitols Latvian Music Academy, where he taught electronic music (1992–1997 assistant, 1997–1999 lecturer). In 1992–1996, he was the deputy chairman of Latvian Composers’ Union, created a regular programme titled Elektronisknie dialogi on Latvian Radio focusing on the latest electronic music. Since 1995, he has been the head of the music department of the Latvian National Theatre, since 1996 he has been composing and making arrangements for Greizais ratiņš, an ensemble of singing actors. He received the Latvian Theatre Award as the best composer in drama theatre (1997). In addition to theatre music, Zilveris also regularly writes in other genres and is one of the first Latvian composers who focused on electro-acoustic and electronic music. Several of his works have been performed at music festivals abroad (1997 – the Baltic Arts Festival in Denmark; 1998 – the Manchester Modern Music Festival and the Franz Schubert Festival in Vienna).