Imants Zemzaris, born in Riga, studied at the Theory Department of the Emīls Dārziņš Music College (1958-1969) and Composition at the Latvian State Conservatory, first under the guidance of Ādolfs Skulte (1969-1974), and then with Pēteris Plakidis (1985-1988), obtaining the Master's Degree in Composition.
Since 1975, Imants Zemzaris is member of the Latvian Composer's Union.
Since 1976, he teaches Composition at the Theory Department of the Emīls Dārziņš Music College.
He has also worked as music critic and many of his writings have been published on specialized Latvian magazines.
From 1988 to 1994, he was the editor of the music section of the weekly magazine Literatūra un Māksla ("Literature and Art").
Among his compositions are works for organ and piano, chamber and orchestral music, as well as film and theatre music.
He is a fervent promoter of Latvian music.