PIANO CONCERT
During two weeks four international composers: Michael Blake (South Africa), Indra Riše (Latvia) and Justė Janulytė (Italy/Lithuania) and Algirdas Bružas were focused on creation new work, based on the interpretation of various landscapes and natural enviroment. Their pieces were performed by the most famous contemporary music pianist from Israel Irena Friedland in Druskininkai.
Programme of the concert:
Justė Janulytė "Warum betrubst du dich mein herz"
Michael Blake "A Fractured Landscape"
Indra Riše "Three Coloured Stories"
Algirdas Bružas "Trys Akvarelės"
During residence programme artists visited the most extraordinary places of Druskininkai, no man's land - border of Lithuania-Belarus; Čepkeliai State Strick Nature Reserve and other places.
DAR 2014, July
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"First of all, I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity being choosing as an artist -in-residency. It was both enjoyable and interesting experience. I found the place and accommodation fit artist' needs perfectly. The concert, which I played on the 25th of August was very well organised and the discussion afterwards was informative. I have really enjoyed getting to know piano music by the composers, who shared the residency with me at the same period of time. Our interactions and discussions during the residency contained several ideas, which we hopefully will develop in the future. My sincere and special thanks to Egidija, who filled my residency with warmness, joy and the positive energy."
Irena Friedland (Israel)
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Thanks to activity by Egidija Medeksaite and support from the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture, I was able to stay at DAR residence in Druskininkai from the 22 July until the 5 August 2014. In these two weeks I had creatively very intense time - there was a concert with contemporary piano music (including my music), which was nicely performed by Irena Friedland (Israel). Besides I finished work (music) for soprano and organ, which is supposed to be performed at the 13th of September 2014 at the International Organmusic festival in Liepāja (Latvia). In meantime Egidija Medeksaite was organising trips to most wonderful places near Druskininkai, so it was possible to learn and get inspired by Lithuanian landscape. I was very impressed by Egidijas Medekšaitės warm attention and care, which was very helpful in daily life in Druskininkai. Special thanks to her and other people, who where involved in this international project!
Indra Riše (Latvia)
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The invitation by the Lithuanian Composers Union to spend two weeks in Druskininkai gave me the opportunity to start work on a piano piece I had long wanted to write. In the course of the residency I was able to sketch out a plan for this and develop a good deal of the material. I plan to complete the piece by the end of the year, other commitments permitting. The setting and conditions were ideal for creativity, and the opportunity to interact with other composers was welcome. It was also a great opportunity to have my work performed by the pianist Irena Friedland, who gave a very committed performance of my virtuoso piece "A Fractured Landscape", and to have the opportunity for a public discussion between the pianist, composers and audience.
Egidija Medeksaite was wonderfully attentive to the needs and quirks of residents, and the local outings gave a wonderful opportunity to take necessary breaks from work, as well as experiencing the local landscape. I will most certainly encourage other South African composers to apply for this residency in the future. It may even be possible to create an exchange between Lithuanian and South African composers, something that Egidija and I discussed a little.
At the end of my stay in Druskininkai I took the opportunity to spend a few days in Marijampolė with my colleague Darius Klišys, birbynė player, to record the solo part of a composition for birbynė and soundtrack I wrote for him two years ago. This work is now awaiting its public premiere. We also recorded an interview for local television.
Meanwhile I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Lithuanian Composers Union for the generous invitation to the DAR.
Michael Blake (South Africa)
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Kūrybinė rezidencija Druskininkuose (DAR), 2014 metų liepą išpildė ir net pranoko visus mano lūkesčius. Įkvepianti aplinka, puikios darbo sąlygos, kitų idomių menininkų kaimynystė (kompozitoriai Michealas Blake'as iš Pietų Afrikos Respubliko ir Indra Rišė iš Latvijos, pianistė Irena Friedland is Izraelio, rašytojas Antanas Šileika iš Kanados bei kt.), bendros repeticijos, koncertai (Irenos Friedland rečitalis liepos 25 d., Draugystės sanatorijos Koncertų salėje, kur šalia kitų autorių kūrinių buvo atliktas mano kūrinys "Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz?"), diskusijos, ekskursijos nuostabiai praturtina kūrėjų paprastai vienišą darbo rutiną bei suteikia inspiracijų, impulsų naujoms idėjoms bei darbams, o taip pat ir geografiškai išplėčia kontaktų lauką, kas suteikia galimybę užsimegsti tolimesniam bendradarbiavimui. Be to, nė kiek neabejoju, jog ši Lietuvos kompozitorių sąjungos iniciatyva yra prasminga ir naudinga ne tik atskiriems DAR dalyviams, bet turinti žymiai platesnę nacionalinę reikšmę: kasmet vis daugiau menininkų pritraukianti, tokia kūrybinių mainų platforma dalyvauja bendrakultūriniuose procesuose, skleidžia žinią apie Lietuvos kultūrinius, meninius, tautinius resursus, prisideda prie pozityvaus šalies vardo garsinimo visame pasaulyje ir turėtų būti visokeriopai skatinama bei plėčiama.
Justė Janulytė (Lietuva/Italija)
