 imants kalniÅÅ¡ (born 26 may 1941 in riga, latvia) is one of the most important composers in the history of latvian music. having studied classical, as well as choral music, he has written six symphonies, several operas (including the first rock opera in the ussr, ei, jÅ«s tur! (hey, you there!)), oratorios, cantatas, choir songs, a lot of movie and theater music. however, he is generally best known for his rock songs and is to be considered the first composer of intellectual rock music. during the 1960s, kalniÅÅ¡ led the liepÄja rock band 2xbbm, which was extremely loved because of its heartfelt songs and hippy-like lifestyle. kalniÅÅ¡ became the symbol of the spirituality, rebellion and worldview of the generation, and it was emphasized by the fact the band was forced to stop playing because of the pressure from official institutions. however, this doesn't stop the music of kalniÅÅ¡ from being heard - it is played by the incredibly popular band menuets (latvian for 'minuet'), which plays songs almost exclusively by kalniÅÅ¡. during the 1970s, kalniÅÅ¡ returned to writing symphonic music. in 1984, he wrote the rock oratorio kÄ jÅ«ra, kÄ zeme, kÄ debess (like the sea, like the earth, like the sky) together with juris kulakovs and juris sÄjÄns. the oratorio was the first thing played by the band pÄrkons ('thunder') for the general public. with it kalniÅÅ¡ returned to rock and roll once more. he wrote many new songs for pÄrkons, and these same songs led him to start his own band, turaidas roze ('the rose of turaida'). however, the band never gained the recognition and adoration that menuets and pÄrkons did. during the third awakening of the latvian people, when latvia regained independence, kalniÅÅ¡ took part actively in tautas fronte (popular front) political organization, which played the most important part in ending latvia's occupation by the ussr. the festival most associated with kalniÅÅ¡ is the imantdienas ('the days of imants'), extremely popular during the soviet times and therefore banned. the tradition was reintroduced in 1995, 
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