CREATIVE ACTIVITY

Contemporary Music Festival “Music of Canges”

On the 17th of September Klaipėda Concert Hall starts the third concert season with the Festival “Permainų muzika” (“Music of Changes”) / Festival programme /. The Festival “Permainų muzika“ (“Music of Changes”) named after the piece for the grand piano of the famous American composer John Cage is seeking the fundamental reference points of the real values in the ever-changing world for the second time. Not only the best pieces of modern music is played at the event, also the pieces of the 20th century tested by time and evaluated that made an impact and still affect the course that is the changes of music history.

Impressive start of the Festival together with “The Swingle Singers”

The start of the Festival will be very impressive indeed – the concert of the legendary group “The Swingle Singers” (Great Britain).

“If it is music, we’ll sing it”. This motto may sound extravagant, if you haven’t heard it at the concert of “The Swingle Singers” yet. Eight talented vocalists sing the fugues for the organ, orchestral overtures, pieces for the grand piano, pop music arrangements and other music as if it does not require any effort. And they perform without any accompaniment! The group has created a unique style that singing without the vibrato and close to the microphone, imitation of the music instruments, and the lightness of sound are the characteristic features.

Italian composer Luciano Berio was one of the first who experimented with “The Swingle Singers“ using the compositions of microphone enhanced voices and music instruments. He wrote his “Sinfonia” for the orchestra and eight voices directing the piece to “The Swingle Singers”. Later L. Berio wrote them “A Ronne”. This theatrical compositions is one of the most important features of the performance of the group at the festival. Also, the remakes of the pieces by Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and arrangements of the popular music and vocal jazz will be performed at the festival.

Intriguing works of Lithuanian composers and performers

The dispersion of works of Lithuanian composers and performers will get a special attention at “Permainų muzika” (“Music of Changes”). At the festival the Lithuanian performers – string quartet “Chordos”, piano trio “Kaskados”, ensemble “Giunter Percussion” – will perform the music of composers of different generations and styles. Their shows include the following: Julius Juzeliūnas (“Vixy et altera”), Anatolijus Šenderovas (“Da capo al...”), Jurgis Juozapaitis (premier of “Viceno”), Vidmantas Bartulis („Paskutiniųjų giesmės“ ("Songs of the Lasts")), Loreta Narvilaitė („Liūdesio sodai“ (“Gardens of Sorrow”)), and Egidija Medekšaitė („Pančami“.)

An outstanding composer of this year – Bronius Kutavičius. His string quartet "Anno cum tettigonia" (“Metai su žiogu” / “A Year with the Grasshoper”) of 365 beats will breath the constant current of time. “Aštuonios Stasio miniatiūros” (“"Stasys’ Eight Miniatures”) composed following the miniatures of the famous painter Stasys Eidrigevičius, residing in Poland - short films of exceptional beauty will captivate by the subtle use of minimal means.

In Klaipėda Hall of Art Exhibitions an intriguing music and video installation “Aporija” by Šarūnas Nakas will take place. The musical base is the composition of the same name for “Gaida” ensemble that earned the composer the prize of the best chamber piece of Lithuania of 2002. According to the composer, the essence of his composing method is another kind of a relation with traditions by their interpretation, collation of the artifacts that moved away in time and space without adding anything personal.

The most famous samples of modern foreign music

The most famous samples of modern foreign music are included in the program of the festival. The string quartet “Chordos” challenges the famous American quartet “Kronos”, and are the first ones determined to perform “Different Trains” by Steve Reich in Lithuania – the shocking example of documental and musical reality that initiated a new wave in music. The people’s speeches, the sounds of the trains are intertwined with the sounds of the string instruments. According S. Reich, the idea to write “Different Trains” was inspired by his childhood memories from his trips by the trains from New York to Los Angeles during the period of 1939 - 1942. These trips seemed very exciting and romantic to him and after much time passed he thought that being a Jew and living in Europe at that time he would be riding quite different kind of trains…

“Black Angels” by George Crumb were inspired by the impression on the Vietnam War. The pallet of the sounds of the piece, besides the sounds of various string instruments, includes the yells, chants, whistling, whispers, also gongs, maracas, and music of water filled crystal glasses

“Quatuor pour la fin du temps” by Olivier Messiaen is impressive first of all because it was composed and performed in January, 1941 in the German concentration camp of war prisoners. A specific line of the Revelation to John inspired the imprisoned French composer to write this piece: “I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. <...> He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land. <...> lifted up his right hand to the sky, and swore by him who lives forever and ever <...>: “There is no time left!”

This especially eloquent and influential music with stunning variety of colors and carrying to eternity will be interpreted by grand piano trio “Kaskados” and clarinetist Antanas Taločka.

Unlimited Potential of Percussion

The show “Drum Dances” of the temperamental band “Giunter Percussion” will bring an expressive atmosphere and admiration for the unlimited potential of percussion. It has the same name as the piece by John Psath (“Drum Dances”) that is based on the rhythmical interaction of the percussionist (Pavel Giunter) and pianist (Sergėjus Okruško). The composition was written upon the order of the famous percussionist Evelyn Glennie, inspired by jazz and rock music, performance style of Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. (This fantastic performer played in Klaipeda in April, 2004.)

It seems like there is nothing impossible for P. Giunter, the founder and leader of his band who also has fantastic performing technique. As one surprised and delighted music critic remarked after the concert of this percussionist in London where he performed the composition “Da capo al…” by A. Šenderov playing 28 percussion instruments: “He had eight hands! It is hard to believe that it was only single person playing…”

The spiritual music by Arvo Pärto – for the closing of the Festival

Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra of Klaipėda Concert Hall upon the long term cooperation with the conductor Saulius Sondeckis will perform with the chorus “Jauna muzika” (“Young Music”) for the first time. There show is exceptionally devoted to the masterpieces of Estonian composer Arvo Pärto currently residing in the West.

The music style of this composer is called New Spirituality. According to the composer, the distinctive technique that he calls „tintinabuli“, conveys the triple-tone sound played by the bells. Despite the fact that A. Pärt writes only liturgical pieces with sacral texts, he is considered one of the most commercially successful composers of modern music in the world.

Interesting meetings in the video clubs

There are two interesting meetings planned in the video clubs of the Festival. There will be shown extracts from the stage pieces by b. Kutavičius – opera “Lokys” (“The Bear”) staged by Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater, movie “Strazdas – žalias paukštis” (“Thrush, the Green Bird”) (Director Jonas Vaitkus), “Bronius Kutavičius and Stasys Eidrigevičius in the performans “Erotics” (director D. Kutavičienė), the composer himself and director Dalia Kutavičienė will be visiting.

Maestro S. Sondeckis will share his memories about creative cooperation with A. Pärt, there will be shown a movie about the composer called “24 preludes for fugue.”

Festival “Permainų muzika” (“Music of Changes”) invites you to change the sound environment of the city and to change yourself! Let’s open our minds to the changes and new experiences, and the soul – to the soul refreshing and enriching sounds of music!