The message reads, in part:
“Your unique talent of a composer and performer has brought you the sincere love and respect of millions of fans in Russia and many other countries. It is hard to over-estimate your contribution to modern music culture.
It is especially important that you not only continue your fruitful creative work, but also actively support gifted young musicians, sharing your invaluable experience.”
Raimonds Pauls is the author of hundreds of songs, film and theatre scores and musicals, an outstanding jazz pianist and conductor and political figure. Soviet stars also performed his songs. From 1988 to 1991, Mr Pauls was Minister of Culture of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, then between 1991 and 1993 – Minister of Culture of Latvia, and in 1993–1998 he was Culture Advisor to the President of Latvia.