The 17th International Contemporary Music Festival Iš Arti opens with an extraordinary event: the appearance of the renowned Amadinda Percussion Group from Hungary, a collaborative project of the Gaida and Iš Arti festivals.

Today Amadinda is considered as one of the most original and versatile percussion groups in the world, having collaborated with such composers as John Cage, György Ligeti and Steve Reich, who have dedicated their compositions to the ensemble. The Hungarian group is also associated with other music celebrities including Peter Eötvös, Zoltán Kocsis, András Schiff, György Kurtág, András Keller and James Wood.

Amadinda was formed in 1984 on the initiative of four graduates of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. Today the ensemble involves Zoltán Rácz, Zoltán Váczi, Aurél Holló and Károly Bojtos who are praised for their inventive programming of contemporary compositions, transcriptions of classical works as well as traditional music for percussion. Regular concert tours around the world and abundant discography attest to Amadinda’s popularity.

Tickets: Lt30, Lt40, Lt50, Lt60, Lt70

Sunday 28 October

5 pm, Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall (L. Sapiegos str. 5)

DEBATES–RITES–GAMES

RŪTA AND ZBIGNEVAS IBELHAUPTAS PIANO DUO

Bronius Kutavičius. Robert‘s Demons and Angels (2007)

Gintaras Sodeika. Sutapo (2010)

George Crumb. Otherwordly resonances (2002)

Per Nørgård. Unendlicher Empfang (1997)

Bronius Kutavičius. Debate with a Stranger (1982)

Giedrius Kuprevičius. Twins (2012, premiere)

All works featured on this programme invite the performers and listeners to look Beyond – as in an attempt to fathom in music one’s transcendental existence. Some of the compositions, offering special acoustic and spatial sonorities, beside standard use of the keyboard require additional means of sound producing: use of percussion sticks, playing on piano strings, timbres of four metronomes, wind instruments, four pianos and organ.

A recipient of the Lithuanian National Culture and Art Prize, Rūta and Zbignevas Ibelhauptas Piano Duo introduces new and provocative programmes each year, presenting a wide multicultural context. In the Duo’s programmes, the evocative emotional element and virtuosity go hand in hand with the form and content of the programmed works.

Tickets: Lt10, Lt15

Saturday 3 November

2 pm, Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall (L. Sapiegos str. 5)

SOPHIE MAKES MUSIC

Musical spectacle for the whole family

Composer Zita Bružaitė

Lithuanian adaptation by Karolina Rybačiauskaitė (after Geoffroy de Pennart‘s “Sophie macht Musik”)

Director and actress Gintarė Latvėnaitė

Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra (Artistic Director Mindaugas Bačkus)

Conductor Mindaugas Piečaitis

A collaborative project of the Klaipėda Concert Hall and PI Iš arti

Children and their parents are invited to the musical spectacle, an unprecedented event in the history of the festival. The spectacle’s premiere at the Klaipėda Concert Hall enjoyed enthusiastic reception, and now continues its journey to the Lithuanian capital and the festival Iš Arti. The creative team got inspired by Geoffroy de Pennart’s story about a little French cow Sophie living in a little village. Modern and rhythmic music, and fast-paced improvised action will provide the answers to many a question: how is music related to body weight, height, horns or elegance, or how does the cow’s colour correlate with musicality. To the surprise of the creative team, the young audience was at ease with an unassuming musical vocabulary.

Tickets: Lt10

5 pm, Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall (L. Sapiegos str. 5)

TRIO PLUS

KAUNAS PIANO TRIO:

Indrė Čepinskienė (violin), Asta Krištaponienė (cello), Lina Krėpštaitė (piano)

TRIO CLAVIOLA:

Jurgis Juozapaitis (viola), Vytautas Giedraitis (clarinet), Ugnė Antanavičiūtė (piano)

With the participation of: Saulius Auglys, Ingrida Spalinskaitė (percussion); Asta Krikščiūnaitė (soprano)

Kenji Bunch. Concerto for piano trio and percussion

Anatolijus Šenderovas. Song and Dance for violin, cello and piano (2008)

Raimundas Martinkėnas. Stift (2012, premiere)

Andrius Maslekovas. ...she, who’s touching blind water shadows... (2012, premiere)

Saulius Auglys-Stanevičius. New marimba song (2012, premiere)

Kevin Bobo. The Marriage of The Lamb

Heinrich Gattermeyer. Divertismento, Op. 114

Rita Mačiliūnaitė. Kōan for flute, viola and piano (2012)

Algimantas Kubiliūnas. Contrasts (2012, premiere)

Osvaldas Balakauskas. Concerto Claro for clarinet, viola and piano (2010)

Jurgis Juozapaitis. Claviola (2008)

Julius Andrejevas. Canto segundo (2012, premiere)

Dedicated to the adoration of chamber music making, this programme presents two trios as well as the percussion (Saulius Auglys) and soprano (Asta Krikščiūnaitė). The trio members are young by age and chamber music making CVs, but seasoned as soloists – have an impressive stage experience gained in concerts, festivals, seminars and master classes. They offer a contrastive programme ranging from peaceful to vivacious instrumental conversations with interludes of Asta Krikščiūnaitė’s inspiriting soprano.

Tickets: Lt10

Sunday 4 November

4 pm, Vytautas the Great War Museum Courtyard (K. Donelaičio str. 64)

BELLS FOR CAGE

GIEDRIUS KUPREVIČIUS and JULIUS VILNONIS (carillon)

With the participation of Laurynas Lapė (trumpet)

John Cage. Quest; Metamorphosis; In a Landscape; A Room; Dream

Algirdas Brilius. C-A-G-E coda for trumpet and carillon (2012, premiere)

The Kaunas carillon, a unique and historical instrument, is built in the tower of the Vytautas the Great War Museum. Today the carillon has 49 chromatically tuned bells. The bells for Kaunas carillon were cast in Michiels Jr. Tornau Foundry of Belgium in 1935; regular carillon concerts began in 1956. For the third year festival Iš Arti presents carillon music concerts: 2010 saw the epitaph programme, in 2011 with the participation of Lithuanian and Polish carillonists the competition and performance of new works in Lithuania and Poland was organised. This year’s concert is dedicated to John Cage, the American composer and champion of avant-garde in music, whose birth centenary is being celebrated this year around the globe. Algirdas Brilius’ premiere C-A-G-E coda will imbue the American programme with Lithuanian flavour.

Admission free

5 pm, Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall (L. Sapiegos str. 5)

LT ASSEMBLAGES

LITHUANIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

With the participation of jazz musicians: Petras Vyšniauskas (saxophone), Dominykas Vyšniauskas (trumpet, flugelhorn), Neda Malūnavičiūtė (voice, flute), Arkadijus Gotesmanas (percussion)

Conductor MODESTAS BARKAUSKAS

Martynas Bialobžeskis. CJ in C(G) for voice, trumpet and string orchestra (2012)

Antanas Kučinskas. Allegro tornando for voice, alto saxophone, trumpet, percussion and string orchestra (2012)

Giedrius Kuprevičius. Fragment and Beaters for melodic instruments and string orchestra (2012)

Arūnas Navakas. Inter Media for flute, soprano saxophone, trumpet, percussion, double bass, piano and strings (2012)

Antanas Jasenka. Peer Gynt for soprano saxophone, voice, percussion and strings (2012)

Ramūnas Motiekaitis. Cycles for percussion and string orchestra (2012)

Algirdas Klova. Sutarytinė for string orchestra (2012)

One of the most unique national projects LT ASSEMBLAGES was formed around the idea of a creative team, i.e. composition and notation of compositional fundament for the chamber orchestra providing the basis for jazz improvisations. This idea requires all participants not only to mull over each composition, but also to consistently collaborate during the creative process with an intention of building a congruent dramaturgy of the concert. Conductor Modestas Barkauskas will be in charge of two polarities: strictly notated music, namely new and earlier composed works by seven professional composers, and free written down improvisation, which in the hands of the celebrated Lithuanian jazz masters will attain new colours every time. The performance will also feature laser flashes providing a special visualisation of sound material.

Tickets: Lt10, Lt15, Lt20

Tuesday 6 November

6 pm, Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall (L. Sapiegos str. 5)

BETWEEN

POING Ensemble (Norway):

Rolf-ErikNystrøm (saxophones)

Frode Haltli (accordion)

Håkon Thelin (double bass)

Lars Petter Hagen. Kronologi

Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje. No title Tango and Milonga

Dalia Raudonikytė-With. Idem non semper idem (2012, premiere)

Vidmantas Bartulis. I like souvenirs (2012, premiere)

POING. Fisk i kjerka

Nora Wjech. Lumière, espace et vertes

Sachiyo Tsurumi. SUSHIYA 009

Hiroyuki Yamamoto. Fareflat

Hiroyuki Yamamoto. Scherzo

This concert is a continuation of successful collaboration in 2011 when concerts in Kaunas and Oslo were organised as part of an exchange program. In this year’s festival accents of Norwegian and Lithuanian music are elaborated even further in terms of genre and style. Moreover, this programme is an attempt to provoke composers, performers and listeners for cultural debates on music balancing ‘between’ pop and academic, music making and theatre, composer and performer, and many other ‘between’…

Tickets: Lt15

Wednesday 7 November

12 noon–4 pm, Mikas and Kipras Petrauskas Lithuanian Music Museum (K. Petrausko str. 31)

MUSIC-INTERPRETATION-RUSNĖ

Opening of the exhibition Rusnė, seminar of contemporary works for violin.

Programme: works for solo violin, and violin and piano by Lithuanian and Latvian composers.

Seminar is led by Rusnė Mataitytė

Performers: Justina Dorupaitė, Bernardas Petrauskas (violins / Lithuania), Eva Bindere, Lelde Cimure (violins / Latvia), Sergejus Okruško (piano / Lithuania)

Moderated by musicologist Kristina Mikuličiūtė-Vaitkūnienė

For the third time the festival presents interpretational seminar illustrated by the practical action. The aim of the event is to spell out the specifics of notation and performance of contemporary music for violin.

Admission free

6 pm, Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall (L. Sapiegos str. 5)

RUSNĖ MATAITYTĖ (violin)

With the participation of: Sergejus Okruško (piano), Eva Bindere (violin), Dainora Merčaitytė (musicological interludes)

Vidmantas Bartulis. the same landscape for solo violin (2012, premiere)

Jurgis Juozapaitis. Rusnė for solo violin (2012, premiere)

Vytautas Germanavičius. Tonight My Shadow Sinks into the Wall for solo violin (2012, premiere)

Dalia Raudonikytė-With. Astra for solo violin (2012, premiere)

Loreta Narvilaitė. The Wave Follows the Bird’s Flight for solo violin (2012, premiere)

Jonas Tamulionis. Four Strings, Op. 335 for solo violin (2012, premiere)

Sadie Harrison. ...in small things remembered... for violin and piano (2012)

One of the most important accents of the concert is Rusnė Mataitytė’s personality. Both the interpretational seminar and concert profile and substantiate her extremely active concert and pedagogic activities. Six Lithuanian composers dedicated their new works to the violinist. The concert will be crowned by a new piece by British composer Sadie Harrison. Musicologist Dainora Merčaitytė will outline sound territories by her musicological insights.

Tickets: Lt10

Thursday 8 November

10.30 am, Vytautas Magnus University, Music Academy Hall (V. Čepinskio str. 5)

COMPOSERS ZOOMED IN

Oleg Bezborodko, Zoltan Almashi (Ukraine)

Launch of the CD Bridges

With the participation of Prof. Dr. Olena Taranchenko (Ukrainian National Academy of Music) and Oleksandr Shamonin (chief editor of musical programmes, Ukrainian Radio)

Traditionally, during the festival Iš Arti Kaunas academic youth is introduced to Lithuanian and foreign composers. This time it is a meeting-lecture about the diversity of Ukrainian contemporary music and the most influential personalities of the Ukrainian music history. The guests, whose works will be featured at the festival’s closing concert, will talk to the young generation and present the CD, which embodies the idea of the ALIANCE project.

The VMU MA’s community will have the chance to not only learn about the Ukraine’s musical culture, but also get the wider view of the studies at the P. Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kiev.

Admission free

6 pm, Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall (L. Sapiegos str. 5)

KLAVIERQUARTETT:

Akemi Mercer (violin, Canada)

Vaida Rožinskaitė (viola, Lithuania / Germany)

Claude Frochaux (cello, Italy)

Rūta Rudvalytė (piano, Lithuania)

Arvydas Malcys. Hyacinth of the Snowfields (2012, premiere)

Onutė Narbutaitė. Autumn Ritonello. Hommage à Fryderyk (1999)

Claus Kühnl. Zeitfülle (2012, premiere)

Zita Bružaitė. The Path of Souls (2012, premiere)

Joaquín Turina. Piano Quartet, Op. 67

Annually, many talented Lithuanian musicians leave Lithuania for studies abroad, some of them stay there for longer periods. Klavierquartett unites virtuosos from Lithuania, Germany, Canada and Italy. Their biographies abound with awards from international competitions, appearances in seminars and festivals pointing to their distinctive and dynamic musical culture. At the festival the guests will perform works by Lithuanian, Canadian, Italian and German composers.

Tickets: Lt15

Friday 9 November

6 pm, Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall (L. Sapiegos str. 5)

ALLIANCE: LITHUANIA–UKRAINE

KAUNAS STRING QUARTET (Lithuania):

Karolina Beinarytė (1st violin), Dalia Terminaitė (2^nd violin), Eglė Lapinskė (viola), Saulius Bartulis (cello)

COLLEGIUM String Quartet (Ukraine):

Мikola Grinthenko (1^st violin), Taras Jaropud (2^nd violin), Іgor Zavgorodnij (viola), Yury Pogoretsky (cello)

Bronius Kutavičius. Anno cum tettigonia for string quartet and recording (1980)

Zoltan Almashi. String Quartet No. 2

Dalia Kairaitytė. Labyrinths (2012, premiere)

Zita Bružaitė. Mosaic-II (2005)

Oleg Bezborodko. Lantern

Alla Zagajkevich. String Quartet

Vidmantas Bartulis. Golden Angels for double string quartet (2012, premiere)

With this concert the festival turns to its historical Eastern partner – the Ukraine. The exceptional project generated by mutual amity is consolidated with two concerts: at the Kiev International Contemporary Music Festival Music Premieres of the Season and the festival Iš Arti in Kaunas. The programme features exclusively Lithuanian and Ukrainian music performed by Lithuanian and Ukrainian string quartets.

Tickets: Lt10, Lt15

9 pm, Theatre Club (Vilniaus str. 22, Architects’ House, 2^nd floor)

FRINGE: SEVENTEEN MOMENTS OF THE FESTIVAL

BASS ARCO (Lithuania):

Domas Jakštas (cello), Giedrius Daunoravičius (cello), Tomas Šatas (cello), Dainius Rudvalis (double bass)

With the participation of: Marius Salynas (electronics), Jonas Maciulevičius (video)

Vladimir Cosma. Sentimental Walk

Danny Elfman. Mission impossible

Ennio Morricone. Thieves after dark

Vladimir Dashkevich. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson

Ennio Morricone. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Ennio Morricone. Il etait une fois dans L'ouest

Henry Mancini. Pink Panther

Anton Karras. Zither Ballade

Ennio Morricone. The Mission

Ennio Morricone. The Crave

Ennio Morricone. Playing Love

Danny Elfman. The Simpsons

Ennio Morricone. Goodbye to friends

Marius Salynas. X-Movie (2012, premiere)

The addressee of the Fringe programme – the festival’s longstanding friends and guests, i.e. composers, performers and sponsors. To some extent, that is a VIP programme – the curtsy and thanksgiving to those who have been enjoying contemporary music for seventeen years. In the Theatre Club setting the audience will be treated to renowned film music arranged for bass strings. The concert will close with X-Movie written for this occasion by young composer Marius Salynas. Use of acoustic instruments, electronics and media creates the effect of zooming in and out of the original versions of the compositions. With this programme the young and impetuous BASS ARCO seeks to demonstrate the relevance and flexibility of contemporary music, and boost the audience’s interest.

Tickets:: Lt20, Lt30, Lt40

Saturday 10 November

5 pm, Irena Mikuličiūtė Art Gallery (I. Kanto str. 5)

SOUNDPAINTINGS

Performance of proximation of artists and composers

With the participation of: composer Giedrius Kuprevičius, painters Romanas Averincevas, Aušra Andziulytė, Elena Balsiukaitė, Edmundas Brazauskas, Violeta Juodzevičienė, Alfonsas Vilpišauskas

The festival’s closing event in which the sounding-out will be applied to the art works and things at the exhibition (ex. music/sounds for a painting, easel, evening light on the opposite side of the window or a mysterious visitor to the event). Owing to the fact the performance may last an hour, two or more, the fitting hint to describe this event would be “the happening for the end of time” (as of Olivier Messiaen).

Admission free (to attend this event, please send an email to info@isarti.lt by Novemeber 9th).

Ticketing information:

Tickets to all events are available at the box office of the Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall (tel. +370 37 200478; no transaction fee applicable) and via the ticketing system www.tiketa.lt (applicable transaction fees: Lt3 per one ticket and Lt5 per booking if you book online or by short service number 1588).

Contact:

Zita Bružaitė, artistic director of the Iš Arti Festival

Tel: +370 699 37244; e-mail: ceo@isarti.lt
Nomeda Kunevičienė, advertising and public relations manager

Tel: +370 37 22 25 58, e-mail: nomeda@kaunofilharmonija.lt

Organised by:

Kaunas Branch of the Lithuanian Composers' Union

Kaunas State Philharmonic Society

PI Iš arti

Supported by:

Lithuanian Ministry of Culture

Culture Support Foundation

Kaunas Municipality

Sponsors and partners:

LATGA-A

Vytautas Magnus University

Daily "Kauno diena"

Culture and art weekly "Nemunas"

www.kamane.lt

National M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum

Init TV

Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre

LRT Radio

LRT Klasika

Kaunas Hotel

Radio station "Extra FM"

Theatre Club

Miesto sodas

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