Jēkabs Jančevskis’ new work with the words of Knut Skujenieks in the premiere of the choir’s “While …” concert / Article / LSM.lv

The youth choir “Kamēr…” celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2020, celebrating it with several musical events, in which the choir will reveal various aspects of its activities to the audience. On September 12, a cycle of vocal symphonic music “Lux aeterna” will open in Riga Dome, where the choir will play together with the State Chamber Orchestra “Sinfonietta Rīga”.

The live broadcast of the concert will also be available on the Facebook account of Latvijas Radio 3.

The concert will feature compositions by composers Pēteris Butāns and Rihards Dubras, as well as Jēkabs Jančevskis’ new work “How to Say a Song” with the words of Knut Skujenieks,

“More and more people like to go to the instrumental field and write for chamber orchestras, but here the choir and orchestra unite, it is a pleasant environment to work,” says composer Jēkabs Jančevskis about the new work in the Latvian Radio program “Kultūras Rondo”.

The composer admits that writing was a great freedom.

“The work was made in such a feeling of stopping for a while. I think it can be read well in the outer parts of the work. This came to me easily due to the changing circumstances and new winds in my life, because I am always quite tormented as a composer (..)

I felt very comfortable writing this work. It is my fantasy, a view of everything around me, which follows from Skujenieks’ amazing lines of poetry, “explains Jēkabs Jančevskis.

Jančevskis reveals that before he wrote, he did not want to know the poet’s opinion, but until recently he contacted him and asked what was the opinion of Knut Skujenieks himself, to which the poet replied:

“Read the poem again and it will tell you everything.”

“That’s right, I just can’t say anything more about it. The poem spoke so much with the fact that it is general, but also very beautiful concrete things. That’s how the music came about,” admits Jēkabs Jančevskis.

Aivis Greters, the conductor of the choir “Kamēr …”, says that in a way he continues the actions of the previous conductors of “Kamēr …” Māris Sirmas and Jānis Liepiņš, addressing Latvian composers for new works, and Jēkabs Jančevskis is the first he addressed .

“I have a good relationship with Jacob, we are known from the study days, we are also good friends in everyday life. Especially now, working with him professionally, seeing his work style and nuanced and careful approach to work, I admire and respect him for creating and helping with this composition. together with the choir, “reveals Aivis Greters.

“It is heartily said that” While … “many family members sing, and now the ensembles will be formed by a sister duo and they will be joined by a guy from the choir. The ensembles, which will be located in the Dome Church, will be Otaņķi, Liepiņi and Matveju sister duo, “One household can be next to each other. But the most important thing for me is that you gain extra depth,” continues Aivis Greters.

In turn, two concerts will take place in the Great Hall of the University of Latvia on October 30 and 31 a cappella choral music program “Reflections of Waves”. In the first part of the concert, listeners will be able to enjoy a meditative program of contemporary choral music from the Baltic Sea region, rich in natural images, including several Latvian premieres. The second part will feature important compositions in the history of the choir, which were dedicated to the choir by Latvian composers such as Pēteris Vasks, Selga Mence, Ēriks Ešenvalds and Raimonds Pauls. The message of the music will be brought to life by the concert director Laura Groza in collaboration with the artist -8.

–