It's incredible that you just mentioned him, because I only yesterday found a CD with some works by Vasks for string orchestra and found it extraordinarily beautiful. He sounds a bit like an Eastern-European Barber of sorts, writing very lyrically for strings. I personally find him more interesting and his music more beautiful than Pärt's which you mentioned..
Anyway, thanks for recommending Vasks (I think you mentioned the name along with the names of Kreek and some other guy a while ago), definitely worth the listen
