Author: macha

On June 10, rock trio B OPTIMIST release their second single „Mēles” from their upcoming fifth studio album which is set to be released this autumn. A music video for „Mēles” is also out now.

This time the music is based more on electronic sounds, with a light, nostalgic summer feeling. „Our longest conversations started with – I’m going to sleep” – this song is about carefree moments and great unplanned adventures.

Song in Spotify

Music and lyrics: B OPTIMIST. Video: B OPTIMIST. Special thanks to Velta Liepa, Laura Ozola, Jānis Grosbahs, Toms Bahs un Signe Rusiņa. The song is available on music streaming platforms from June 10.

B OPTIMIST will perform this summer:

July 9 – „Fontaine GypsyCamp”, Liepāja

July 30 – festival „Summer Sound”, Liepāja

August 5 – festival „Bauska TASTE”, Bauska

August 13 – festival „LIMBIZKVĪTS 3”, Limbaži

In April B OPTIMIST released the first single „Akvareļos” from their upcoming fifth studio album. Previously B OPTMIST have released their album “Visur skan”, an acoustic album “Turpinies!” with Latvian folk song lyrics. The debut album “B OPTIMIST” was released seven years ago. It was then followed by the EP “KOPĀ”. B OPTIMIST – energetic and emotional rock music in Latvian since 2013. B OPTIMIST is Valters Levins, Roberts Levins, Linards Liepa. Their music is available on Spotify, Bandcamp, iTunes, Youtube, etc.

Osokins’ Freedom Festvial for Ukraine took place in Riga from May 25 until June 8. As a reaction to Russia’s military aggression, this year’s festival was dedicated to Ukraine. Almost 80 musicians and actors well-known both in Latvia and globally came together to perform nine concerts at five different venues: the Black Heads House (Melngalvju nams), Hanzas perons, Piano salon @152, “Ola Foundation” and the Anglican Church. During the festival over 20 000 EUR were collected from ticket revenues and donations for Ukraine’s support.

During the festival many Ukrainian musicians and actors – war refugees, who were forced to leave their country because of Russian military aggression, had the opportunity to perform on stage in collaboration with a multitude of leading Latvian artists and get involved in the cultural life of Latvia. One of the goals of the festival was to enable Ukrainian artists to continue pursuing their profession, so that cooperations born during this time may develop and enrich Latvian and European culture.

It was symbolical that the opening act of the festival on May 25 was performed by Anna Nimayer an actress from Mariupol’s Drama Theatre – a place known all over the world because of cynical shelling by Russian military, despite knowing that hundreds of people from Mariupol including many children had sought asylum there. After the performance Anna Nimayer revealed that now she has no theatre, no home, which was also destroyed by military, and no city and that she is grateful to have the opportunity to express her feelings on stage which was immensely important for her and the audience in the hall.

The program of each concert included music by Ukrainian composers as well as Ukrainian folk music and poetry to popularize Ukrainian culture in Latvia and to invite audience to explore deep roots and colorful culture of Ukraine. More than 100 free invitations to the concerts were given to refugees from Ukraine currently living in Latvia. In cooperation with Viche, the confederation of associations of Ukrainians living in Latvia, special minivans were placed at the venues of the biggest festival concerts providing the opportunity to donate the necessary things and items to Ukrainians. All donated goods will be delivered to Ukraine.

The highlight of the festival was the closing Gala concert that took place on June 8 at Hanzas perons, where 50 Latvian and Ukrainian musicians and actors performed together on one stage in front of 600 spectators including the president of Latvia Egils Levits, Minister for Culture Nauris Puntulis, Deputy Chairman at Riga City Council and Ambassadors of Ukraine, Poland, United Kingdom, Estonia and Lithuania, as well as Deputy Chief of Mission of United States Embassy in Latvia. The final performance was the song “Resistance” by the united artists of “Latvia for Ukraine”. The concert ended with standing ovations.

Until Wednesday, June 15, it is possible to contribute to the donations on the Ziedot.lv website https://www.ziedot.lv/osokina-brivibas-festivals-ukrainai-4251.

 

On June 26, a special night concert by musicians Igo and Katrina Gupalo will take place at the St. Savior’s Anglican Church in the Old Town of Riga which will also be dedicated to Ukraine’s support. Tickets can be purchased here https://www.bilesuparadize.lv/lv/event/118141.

 

Coming up with bold, new ideas is something the classical and jazz-trained flautist Elizabete Balcus has never been short of.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of “Kremerata Baltica” chamber orchestra, SKANi releases an album by the orchestra led by Gidon Kremer called “ppp”. The name contains abbreviations of the surnames of the three prominent Latvian composers Pēteris Plakidis, Kristaps Pētersons and Georgs Pelēcis. The subtlety of chamber music and the love towards detail by Pēteris Plakidis, mathematical precision and composure along with transcendent and mystical images by Kristaps Pētersons and naive, cheerful, brave characters alongside a melancholic reverie by Georgs Pelēcis make this release a bright example of the Latvian contemporary music. The album (CD, streaming and download format) will be released on June 17, 2022.

“My ideal is to serve music. In whatever form that may be, I take great joy in being a servant to this lady”

Pēteris Plakidis

Pēteris Plakidis (1947–2017) is the greatest poet and interpreter of music among Latvian composers. According to his biography, he was also the “most academic”, because once he began his studies at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, he never left the school. Studies in composition were followed by an assistantship and then a professorship. He also had the most typical path of a Latvian composer regarding education and career: the Emīls Dārziņš Music School, the conservatory, head of the music department at the Latvian National Theatre, a popular composer of film music, also a co-creator of wonderful animated films. He embodied the bonds of artistic fraternity between composer and performer, between members of a chamber ensemble, between poetry and music, between poets and musicians. These bonds were stronger than any external conditions; Plakidis belonged to an age of musical “insiders” where only talent and insight mattered. The Little Concerto for two violins (1991) premiered on August 18, 1991, in the Wagner Hall in Riga. It was performed by Aīda Grieze and Andris Pauls, to whom it is also dedicated. Precisely thirty years later, Gidon Kremer and Madara Pētersone recorded the concerto specially for this album.

Kristaps Pētersons (1982) holds a bachelor’s degree with highest honors in double bass and composition (2005) and a master’s degree in composition (2007) from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. For outstanding accomplishments during his studies, he received the Arnolds Šturms Award and the Tālivaldis Ķeniņš Award. Pētersons has been a musician with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra since 2005 and a musician and soloist with “Kremerata Baltica” since 2015. In 2010, he was awarded first place in the young composers’ category at the UNESCO-organized International Rostrum of Composers competition for his composition Twilight Chants recorded by the Latvian Radio Choir. Ground premiered in 1999, while π = 3.14 for two double basses, percussion and recording was composed specially for this “Kremerata Baltica” album. Pētersons is at times inspired by transcendent, even mystical things, yet at the same time his music possesses a mathematical precision and composure that gives the impression of immediacy and directness. The irrational number π (or pi or P) playfully relates to something as barely determinable to the ear as the tuning of a piano. Music for a Large Ensemble was written specially for the musicians of “Kremerata Lettonica”. It premiered on May 22, 2021, at the Wagner Hall in Riga as part of a concert honoring the centenary of diplomatic relations between Latvia and Germany.

Georgs Pelēcis (1947) is a composer and significant researcher and scholar of the history and theory of counterpoint. He studied at the Emīls Dārziņš Music High School in Riga and, encouraged by his classmate Gidon Kremer, continued his education at the Pyotr Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, where he studied composition under Aram Khachaturian, graduating in 1970. Seven years later at the same institution, he completed graduate studies in music theory under Vladimir Protopopov. Pelēcis began teaching polyphony at the Latvian State Conservatory (later, the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music) in 1970 and became a professor there in 1990. Pelēcis is a unique phenomenon in the cultural scene of the 20th/21st century. His ideal is euphony and harmony. His music is dominated by naive, cheerful and brave characters that exist alongside a melancholic reverie. Violinist Gidon Kremer – a friend since their youth – has proven to be a remarkable interpreter of Pelēcis’ music and an ambassador of his work. The Fiori Musicali collection of compositions is like a follow-up by Georgs Pelēcis to Flowering Jasmine, an opus he wrote in 2007 for Gidon Kremer. Pelēcis named this blooming garden Fiori Musicali after Girolamo Frescobaldi’s collection of liturgical organ music from the 17th century.

KREMERATA BALTICA is considered by music experts to be one of the best international chamber orchestras in the world, and with performances at important venues across the globe, it has secured an excellent reputation. In addition to regular concert tours throughout Europe, Kremerata Baltica has also performed at most of the major centres in Asia, Australia and North and South America. Kremerata Baltica has released several dozen albums, including recordings of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giya Kancheli, Leonid Desyatnikov, Astor Piazzolla, Raminta Šerkšnytė, Arvo Pärt, Pēteris Vasks and Georgs Pelēcis. It has received several prestigious awards, including a Grammy and Echo Award in 2002 and the Praemium Imperiale grant for young artists in 2009. The orchestra’s albums of works by Georges Enescu and Mieczysław Weinberg were both nominated for the Grammy Award, and its recording of Shostakovich’s piano concertos with Anna Vinnitskaya won the Echo Klassik award in 2016 for best concert recording (20th/21st-century music). It has received several nominations for the Latvian Grand Music Award and won Latvia’s highest state award in music in 1999 for outstanding artistic qualities in concert programmes in Latvia and popularizing Baltic composers worldwide. It also won the Latvian Grand Music Award in 2004 for the Shostakovich and Schnittke: Unfinished Century festival.

Violinist Gidon Kremer founded Kremerata Baltica in 1997 at the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival as a 50th birthday present to himself. The orchestra consists of musicians from the three Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. One of its main aims is to inspire and promote musical growth in the Baltic region as well as encourage innovative programming and performance that is open to experimentation and poses bold challenges to the status quo. Kremerata Baltica has held its own, eponymous festival in Latvia since 2003. Since the orchestra’s inception, it has regularly collaborated with world-renowned musicians and conductors. In addition to Kremer himself, soloists have included violinists Vadim Repin, Lisa Batiashvili, Thomas Zehetmair, Baiba Skride and Kristīne Balanas; cellists Mischa Maisky, Mario Brunello and Yo-Yo Ma; singer Jessye Norman; pianists Mikhail Pletnev, Martha Argerich, Khatia Buniatishvili, Katia Skanavi and Reinis Zariņš; and accordionist Ksenija Sidorova. Guest conductors have included Saulius Sondeckis, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Simon Rattle, Heinz Holliger, Ainārs Rubiķis and Andris Poga.

SKANi is a division of the Latvian Music Information Centre (LMIC). Funded by the Latvian Ministry of Culture, its goal is to produce high quality recordings of Latvian classical music performed by both emerging and established Latvian musicians and promote Latvia’s classical music heritage through its distinctive and varied programming. Founded in 2014, it has released around 100 recordings and is managed by a Latvian clarinetist Egīls Šēfers, who is also a Director of the Latvian Music Information Centre and Chairman of the Latvian Music Council. It has longstanding relationships with the Latvian Radio Choir, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, State Choir “Latvia”, Sinfonietta Riga, Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and many other soloists and chamber music groups.  

TRACK LIST:

Pēteris Plakidis: Little Concerto for two violins

1. I. Singing Together 3:21
2. II. Evening Music 7:34
3. III. The Road 5:50

Kristaps Pētersons

4. Ground for double bass solo 4:44
5. π = 3,14 for two double basses, percussion, and recording 8:46

Music for a Large Ensemble

6. I. ♪ = 124 0:52
7. II. ♪ = 82 2:29
8. III. ♪ = 124 5:35

Georgs Pelēcis: Three pieces from Fiori Musicali

9. The Lone Calla 4:41
10. Dance of the Peonies 5:44
11. Cosmea Melancholy 4:17

TT: 54:22

Gidon Kremer, violin (1-3, 11)

Madara Pētersone, violin (1-3)

Kristaps Pētersons, double bass (4, 5)

Iurii Gavrilyuk, double bass (5)

Andrei Pushkarev, vibraphone (5, 9, 11)

Kremerata Baltica (9-11)

Kremerata Lettonica (6-8)

Recorded in: Riga Recording Studio, Latvian Radio Studio 1, 2021 & 2022

Recording producer, editing, mixing, mastering: Varis Kurmiņš

Booklet text: Ingrīda Zemzare

English translation: Amanda Zaeska

Photos: Jevgeņija Frolova, Edmunds mickus, Maksims Novikovs, Angie Kremer

Design: Kirils Šmeļkovs

Executive producer: Ingrīda Zemzare, Egīls Šēfers

℗ Kremerata Baltica, 2022

© Kremerata Baltica & LMIC/SKANi 139, 2022

Latvian group Sub Scriptum and Ukrainian singer Anastasia Vasilenko have published the single “Зійде сонце” (Ziyde sonce) and its video. The musicians met during the third Osokins’ Freedom Festvial for Ukraine, creating songs for the festival’s closing concert, which was attended by many newly formed associations of Latvian and Ukrainian musicians, together expressing support for Ukraine in the fight against Russia’s brutal military aggression. The collaboration between Sub Scriptum and Anastasia Vasilenko was so successful that it was decided to develop and continue it. 

The leader of the group, Kristers Rudzītis, says: “Since the beginning of the war, we have been actively involved in various concerts and projects in support of Ukraine, because music is our biggest weapon to express support to the Ukrainians. With this achievement, we want to show our position that there is no place for war and cruelty in the 21st century. Music is the best language in the world – with these words we started working with Anastasia and they have united us all this time.” 

The first version of “Зійде сонце” entitled “Tas notiek naktīs” can be found in the group’s album “21. gs. mode” (2020). The new song is in Latvian and Ukrainian, with music and lyrics by Kristers Rudzītis and Anastasia Vasilenko.

“With this song, we want to support the Ukrainians, tell them that all the horrors that are happening in Ukraine will end soon and that the sun will rise again. That’s why the chorus of the song I created in Ukrainian starts with the words “I want to believe that the wind will calm down and the sun will rise”. I am very happy to work with Sub Scriptum – the band brings together not only very talented musicians including the lead vocalist Kristers, who writes deep and beautiful music, but also wonderful people. All this time, they have wholeheartedly supported me and Ukraine,” says Anastasia Vasilenko.

Author of the video – Elvis Lācis. It was created with the support of the recreation center “Gandrs”. The special atmosphere of the video was created by “BB Rental”. Make-up artist – Ieva Iraida.

The producer of the song is Alexander Buryi (Ukraine), who has worked with the groups “Смысловые галлюцинации”, “Чичерина”, “Мураками” and others. Mix and mastering – Armands Varslavāns.

Several festivals and concerts with the participation of Sub Scriptum are expected, in which the song “Зійде сонце” will be performed together with Anastasia Vasilenko. The group invites other Latvian musicians to collaborate with Ukrainian artists, as their culture is currently under threat, and it is very important to give musicians who have taken refuge in Latvia the opportunity to continue performing.

The band Sub Scriptum, which originated in 2017, has also previously focused on current topics in its music. The band’s single “Kādā Krāsā” (2020) and its video which tells about political correctness and its exaggeration in today’s world was noticed by the “Baltic Film Festival”. Furthermore, the debut album “21. gs. mode” (2020) spoke about the modern and not always understandable lifestyle. The group’s leader Kristers Rudzītis is also known as a young poet with success in Latvian competitions and his publications of poetry and prose, which gives Sub Scriptum a different taste in music.

The group actively performs at festivals and concerts, their upcoming concerts will be held in “Gypsy Camp”, Liepaja, on July 9, Sigulda Castle Pavilion July 23 and Summer Sound Festival in Liepaja on July 29.

The song “Зійде сонце” is available on major music streaming sites: https://fanlink.to/SubScriptumAnastasijaVasilenko, including Spotify: https://spoti.fi/39Fnrwu.

Photographer Šeila Orlova.

Besides the two previously released singles “Tiešām Neatceros” (“I really cannot remember”) and “Kā Tev Šodien Gāja?” (“How was Your Day?”) the album is complemented by three more compositions.

“Neko darīt. Kā ir, tā jādzīvo.” (“Life, accept it as it is and live on.”) is a story about the impact of changes in mental status on human life. More specifically about the downside when feelings (both emotional and physical) are long-lasting and do not intend to back down.

It is difficult to see why this is happening at all. It’s even harder to understand why this is happening to me when it seems that everyone around me is doing great. But the hardest part is accepting that you will most likely have to live with those feelings for the rest of your life.

The album is about a phase in my life where I refused to accept these changes and I didn’t even tried to realize what could have made them happen in the first place. When I allowed myself to believe everything I felt, read on the internet and all the thoughts that came to mind. The main one being that I might be terribly ill because I felt the unexplained physical pain, which means that I would soon have to die. Sounds funny, doesn’t it? But, unfortunately, it was and sometimes still is my reality.

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/2p6UgXY69YpKCDlv4LIjnJ

Also, a music video for the song “Here and now” has been filmed. This time I did both video filming and editing myself, but in the future I would definitely be happy to cooperate with industry professionals.

In addition to the music, in-depth stories have been published about each of the songs. They are published on my social media profiles. As the topic discussed in the project is very broad and complex, it seemed necessary to tell more about what was really hidden under the lyrics. It is difficult to fit in three minutes what has been and still is going on in my head for almost two years now.

I invite everyone to listen to the album and those who find the topic relevant, be sure to check out the in-depth stories about the songs in my social media profiles.

 

Today, on June 29, local band “The Bad Tones” released their homecoming EP “Back Together Forever”, which consists of 5 compositions, including recently released singles “Nest” and “Sunny Side”. In honor of this event, on the evening of July 10, the band is organizing an album presentation at the “M/Darbnīca” venue.

Edvards Broders, a member of “The Bad Tones” band, shares his feeling about the minialbum: “The EP’s title “Back Together Forever” speaks for itself. We see it as a turning point in the band’s history. Probably not in terms of sound or any other musical expression, but definitely in the dynamics of the band. This is the first recording made while all of us were in one country, one city, one studio. And here it is important to add that we met ten years ago!”

The first sketches and demo recordings of the new compositions were captured during the band’s annual creative camp and later recorded at the “Red House” studio, forming an EP consisting of 5 songs. Keyboardist Teodors Kerimovs also took part in the recording. The EP was produced and mixed by Jasper Ras and mastered by Rengert Eggink, who are the band’s friends and partners from their study time in the Netherlands.

On the evening of Sunday, July 10, an album presentation event will take place at the cultural venue “M/Darbnīca”, during which the live premiere of the EP “Back Together Forever” will be held, as well as talk about EP’s recording process with the members of “The Bad Tones” band. More information about the event is available on the profiles of the band’s social networks “Facebook”, “Instagram” and “Twitter”.

Spotify

Nature and blues inspired union was formed in 2012 and was named “The Bad Tones” in 2017. It is represented by Edvards Broders (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Rudolfs Ozols (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Alberts Levics (vocals, bass guitar) and Kalvis Slezis-Zalkalns (vocals, drums). Up until now “The Bad Tones” has released EP “Bad Tunes” (2018), studio album “Is It Good Enough?” (2019), and live album “Ezera Skaņas” (2020).

On Tuesday, June 28, Jannsi’s single ‘Perfection Is Gone’ was released, where indie rock sounds are a tribute to attempts, efforts, and struggles, when it is not always possible to achieve a perfect result. 

“The song is about the seeming perfection we see in other people’s lives, social media and stories, which disappears when the cameras are off. About reality, which is not glossy,” says Jannsi.

Previously, Jannsi published a three-song EP “Zilonis” (Elephant) – his manifesto that our prejudices and what we hear from like-minded people should not be the reason why we oppress our neighbors. The song “Brīvību Ukrainai” (Freedom for Ukraine), was a means of maintaining sanity at the time when the Russian army began attacking Ukraine.

In the single, all instruments and vocals were performed by the musician himself, while mixing and mastering were provided by Jānis Locs. “Perfection Is Gone” is available on major music streaming services.

Jannsi, whose real name is Jānis Uplejs, is an indie rock singer from Latvia, who previously played in various groups and compositions. With the group “Riverfall” he once performed together with the great guitarist Armands Alksnis, as well as participated in the TV show “X Factor Latvia”, getting to the “chair challenge”. Jannsi cites Nothing But Thieves, Twenty-One Pilots and The White Stripes as his most important musical influences.

At the end of the 2022 midsummer celebration, the group JAUDA released their latest studio album called EPILOG. The new release is a mini-EP with five covers of well-known songs and an electronic experimental “outro” track called Epilogue.

After the second studio album “Under water”, which was released in English, the musicians started to implement an old idea, because working on the third studio album with original songs was a very difficult task in the pandemic conditions, so as such an intermediate stage between the second and third studio album, it was decided to record five songs, which the band believes have created a turning point in the music scene in their time, as well as being close to the band members. The musicians say that more than ten songs were selected in total, but as time went by, only five songs passed the selection, which grew more organically with the band’s sound. In general, the sound of the mini-album includes a synthesis of rock music and electronic music, allowing for experiments with the sound. Mini EP includes songs from bands such as Jumprava, Jauns Mēnes, Aurora and Līvi.

The band members say  big thank you to the songwriters for the powerful songs and collaboration that allowed us to accomplish what we have done..

Currently, the group JAUDA continues to actively perform at festivals in Latvia, as well as in Lithuania and Estonia. To find out more about the upcoming concerts, follow the information on the JAUDA group’s Facebook and Instagram profiles.

The group JAUDA is: Daniels Levickis(drums), Dainis Paeglis (bass), Gatis Pastars (guitar).

Estonia’s premier music industry event Tallinn Music Week (TMW) is thrilled to reveal the first speakers for the conference taking place within the event on 6th – 7th  May. The panellists include Simon Raymonde, Owner and Managing Director of Bella Union, which celebrates its 25th anniversary at TMW, the main instigator of the Britpop movement Jane Savidge, as well as the Managing Director of Mute Song David McGinnis.

• The music industry programme of the conference is developed in cooperation with the music industry development centre and export office Music Estonia.

• TMW 2022 PRO Pass is available for a discounted price until the end of January.

Simon Raymonde, former Cocteau Twin and the owner and managing director of Bella Union which celebrates its 25th anniversary at TMW, has discovered artists like Beach House, Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty, Midlake and hundreds more. He also looks after the European releases for Spiritualized, Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips, etc and has recently returned to making music once more by forming the duo Lost Horizons. Simon will discuss the journey through the music business as well as share invaluable advice for the next generation of musical talent.

As co-founder and head of legendary PR company Savage & Best, Jane Savidge is widely credited as being the main instigator of the Britpop movement. At TMW, Savidge will present her new book Here They Come With Their Make Up On: Suede, Coming Up… And More Adventures Beyond The Wild Frontiers, out on 12th April. Besides Suede, Jane has represented other Britpop stars like Pulp, The Verve, Elastica, The Auteurs, and Menswear, and many other influential artists of the era, including The Fall and The Jesus and Mary Chain.

Canadian-born London-residing David McGinnis is the Managing Director of Mute Song, the music publishing partner of the eminent Mute record label. Prior, he held licensing positions with PPL and MCPS. Mute Song publishes music by Jóhann Jóhannsson, Max Richter, Underworld, Swans, Bob Geldof, Peter Green, Liars, Wire and many other distinguished composers and recording artists.

Other speakers for the TMW conference include the artistic director of Slovenian festival MENT Ljubljana Andraž Kajzer, founder of Berlin’s booking agency von der haardt Ralf Diemert, agent at ICM Partners/Primary Talent Beckie Sugden, Festival Director of Oslo World Festival Alexandra Archetti Stølen, and Board Member at Norwegian Greener Events Linnéa Elisabeth Svensson. Estonian industry is represented by the popular artist and songwriter Daniel Levi and the Head Promoter of LiveNation Estonia Eva Palm.

The full TMW 2022 conference programme and main topics will be published gradually from February to April.

TMW 2022 takes place on 4th – 8th May in the Estonian capital Tallinn that bears the UNESCO City of Music title from 2022.

TMW 2022 passes are on sale at shop.tmw.ee. Until the end of January the PRO Pass, which grants access both to the music festival and the conference, is available for 150 euros, raising to 175 from February.
The selection of passes also includes Festival Pass and DigiPRO Pass, which provides online access to the conference.

TMW festival is founded and run by Shiftworks OÜ. The festival’s strategic partner is the music industry development centre and export office Music Estonia.