Latvian Musician Balanas on Missing Home, Trusting People, and Future Orchestral Plans

When asked about what he misses the most when he is away from home, Balanas tells the presenter Ines Vaikule: “It’s hard to say. I think it’s spaciousness and people’s openness.”

He adds: “Very honest people. People really say what they think, and that’s why they’re open, I think.”

Balanas, who lives in London and also studied at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London, says that you can trust Latvian people more: “I really feel at home among my own people and, of course, I also miss nature – going to the countryside, picking mushrooms, catching fish, which I don’t give up very much, I usually push them away, but I try, I try.” As for food, the musician likes everything simple – potatoes with meat or fish and salad on the side.

“Involving an orchestra in my arrangements is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Balanas says of what she still wants to do. “With the Lithuanian Wind Orchestra, I have also succeeded. We have created several arrangements, both specially for this concert next month, and also existing pieces have been taken. Really getting to know more about the sound of their orchestra and how to combine it with both the electric violin and the acoustic violin, how to draw everyone in those 40 other players in that experiment. It’s very exciting.”

You can listen to the full recording of the program here.

2023-11-24 07:15:50
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