ARTS AND MUSIC IN CULTURAL DISCOURSE. Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference

Fiona Mērija Vilnīte
Riga Teacher Training and Management Academy
Latvia

Mg. paed., Riga Teacher Training and Management Academy, Doctoral Student on the Doctoral Studies programme „Pedagogy”.
Studies at Riga Teacher Training and Management Academy, BMus (Lond) at London University/Trinity College of Music, London. Having had experience playing in solo, chamber and orchestral projects, arranging music for strings and editing e-books about violin history and string playing (www.musicforstrings.com). She is a violin teacher at Cesis' 1st Primary School. Her current research interests include mental imagery, mental training and violin pedagogy.

Māra Marnauza
Riga Teacher Training and Management Academy
Latvia

Dr. paed., Riga Teacher Training and Management Academy, Professor, Conductor.
Chief conductor of the XXV General Latvian Song Festival (2013), the Baltic States’ Student Song Festival Gaudeamus (1999; 2004; 2006; 2011; 2014).
Artistic director of the winners of international choir competitions – female choir BALTA and chamber choir Fortius. Received the jury’s Best Conductor’s Prize at the XIX International Sacred Choral Music Competition in Námestovo in Slovakia and at the Emilis Melngailis Folk Music Competition in Latvia. INTERKULTUR Jury member of the 4th International Anton Bruckner Choir Competition, Austria (2013). +Published a monograph Conducting methodology (2012), many choir music CDs and DVDs.