Bass baritone Pauls Berkolds, well known to Latvian audiences in North America, has earned a Doctor’s degree in Music from the University of Southern California, where he also earned his Master’s degree in Music.

Berkolds completed his Doctor’s degree studies summa cum laude and joined Rhi Kappa Phi, one of the United States’ outstanding honor societies. Berkolds was born and raised in Seattle. He studied music at the University of Washington, graduating from the vocal music department with honors in 1980, where he earned a BA and BM.In 1982 he took vocal classes at the Libera Universita Di Musica in Rome, Italy. Upon returning to the United States, Berkolds joined a music agency, which has provided him with singing contracts at various operas. He has sung at opera houses in Houston, Orlando, Dayton, Hawaii, New York, Washington, and elsewhere. In 1989 Berkolds sang in the production of “Carmen” in Riga. In 1991 he sang with the Toulon Opera in France. His repertoire includes more than 40 operatic roles. He has received very good reviews in newspapers, including “The Washington Post” and “Le Carrousel,” a French newspaper. Berkolds has sung at many concerts in Latvian centers in the United States and Canada, and Australia, as well as in Riga, Latvia. He has also served as a lector at five Latvian youth music camps in Canada and Latvia. He has also sung in productions of “Man of la Mancha” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” as well as in the Latvian musical theater productions – “Gundega” and “Tango Lugano.” Despite the good reviews and good remuneration Berkolds terminated his contract after a year and a half to be together with his family. The Berkolds have two children – Aleks (4½) and Davis (1 y.o.). At the present, Berkolds is a professor of music at the California Institute of Arts.