Glasperlenspiel Music Festival
Tue, July 15th at 7 pm, St. John’s church (Jaani Str. 5, Tartu)
DANCING THROUGH…
Daniil Bulayev (violin), Džeraldas Bidva (violin, concertmaster), Pēteris Čirkšis (cello), Kremerata Baltica (artistic director Gidon Kremer)
Mendelssohn, Pärt, Vähi (“Dancing through Afterlife”, premiere), Vasks
Kremerata Baltica, one of the most outstanding European chamber orchestras, was conceived as Gidon Kremer’s 50th birthday present to himself. Kremer, who is considered to be one of the most bright and leading violinists of his generation, had a vision of a long-term educational project to pass on his rich experience without room for artistic compromise. Youthful and innovative ensemble is open to new ideas, creative, daring and bold challenges and is praised for its joyful, energetic and abundant playing style. Since 2003 Kremerata has held its own festival in Latvia. Also it has initiated different cooperation projects such as To Russia With Love to promote the cause of human rights in Russia and a joint venture Pictures from the East with a Syrian artist Ali Badri, which focused on the dramatic events in the Middle East and the refugee problem. The Kremerata’s extraordinary artistic level is proved by the New York Times, Grammy Award, numerous recordings for Deutsche Grammophon and ECM as well as stage partners like Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Vadim Repin, Yo-Yo Ma, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Christoph Eschenbach, Kent Nagano, Sir Simon Rattle etc. The orchestra has recorded about 25 CD-s for leading labels such as ECM and Deutsche Grammophon and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Mieczysław Weinberg (ECM) in 2015.
Violinist Daniil Bulayev made his solo debut at the age of five with a chamber orchestra in Riga. Among his numerous achievements are the Grand Prix at the 9th International Balys Dvarionas Competition for young pianists and violinists (2012), 1st prize in the string category at the 9th International Competition for Young Musicians in Moscow (2012), 1st prize at the Zhuhai International Mozart Competition (2017), 1st prize at the “Il Piccolo Violino Magico” competition in Italy (2017), and 1st prize at the International Leonid Kogan Competition for Young Violinists in Belgium (2019). In 2022, he founded the chamber orchestra Davinspiro Camerata. Earlier this year, Bulayev also released his debut CD under the Champs Hill Records label.
Outstanding violinist Džeraldas Bidva was born in Lithuania. He graduated from Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater in 1999. .Džeraldas Bidva has been a guest-player in many prestigious festivals like Lockenhaus, Gstaad, Maerze, Les Museiques, Salzburg, etc. He has played with artists like Oleg Maisenberg, Yurij Bashmet, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Gidon Kremer, and many other great musicians. Džeraldas Bdva is a concertmaster of Kremerata Baltica. In the last years he mainly performs in various chamber music ensembles. He plays solo regularly with Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and Lithuanian Chamber Orchestras. 2005 together with his friends Džeraldas Bidva has formed a string quartet Kremeratini.
Cellist Pēteris Čirkšis was born in Latvia. He graduated from Jazeps Vitols Latvian Music Academy in 1998. 2001–2003 improved his professional skills in Highschool of Music and Fine Arts in Vienna. Attended master classes around Europe held by B. Greenhouse, F. Helmerson, and others. Together with his friends he formed a string quartet Euphonia in 2004. Recently P. Čirkšis is mainly involved in various chamber music ensembles’ activity.
Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten: On 5 December 1976, Arvo Pärt heard on the radio of Benjamin Britten’s death and was deeply affected by the news. The composer has said: “I had just discovered Britten for myself. Just before his death I began to appreciate the unusual purity of his music – I had had the impression of the same kind of purity in the ballads of Guillaume de Machaut. And besides, for a long time I had wanted to meet Britten personally – and now it would not come to that.”
Pärt was finishing an elegiac orchestra piece at the time, which he decided to dedicate to the memory of his deceased colleague, out of respect and admiration for his work.
Arvo Pärt: “It is the clarity of the order that we all perceive consciously or unconsciously, so that it creates in us vibrations, a kind of resonance. Isn’t that the mystery of music, of all kinds of music?” (from the website of Arvo Pärt Centre)
Dancing through Afterlife is based on a philosophical understanding of the cyclical nature of human (and not only human) existence – neither earthly nor afterlife are eternal. In this work meet and at times intertwine a rustic folk dance, a grotesque waltz like visible through a distorted mirror, and also a “coming” and “going” funeral march. Coming and going in the sense that the same music can be heard once from one side, then from the other side of the border. (Peeter Vähi)
Viatore tells the story of a wanderer who arrives in this world, grows up in it, develops, falls in love, fills himself up and then departs. The journey is illuminated by the endless and starry universe. This composition is in one movement but is made up of two sound images. The theme of the traveler is subject to growth and development. The theme of eternity, however, does not change and it played pianissimo. Viatore is dedicated to Arvo Pärt, who has been my guiding light for many decades. (Pēteris Vasks)
Organizers:
Tiina Jokinen – executive director
Kadri Kiis – producer, accountant
Ingrida Zemzare – manager of Kremerata Baltica
Meeta Vardja – musicologist, editor of festival booklet
Mart Kivisild – design
Olavi Sööt – co-producer, video, logistics
Reno Hekkonens – marketing director, PR
Johannes Vähi – co-producer, webmaster, logistics
Rebeca Birk – social media
Special thanks: Tartu City Government, Urmas Klaas, Triin Käpp, Jana Raud, Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, St. John’s church, Kaupo Kiis, Kristel Leppik, Milvinhos, Tiina Kangro, Madis Metsis, volunteers
Previous festivals: 2024; 2023; 2022; 2021; 2020; 2019; 2018; 2017; 2016; 2015; 2014; 2013; 2012; 2011; 2010; 2009; 2008; 2007; 2006; 2005; Archives: Glasperlenspiel 2003 and 2004