Percussion Sound Ventspils. Turkish Impressions & Steve Reich
Rich, hypnotic, unforgettable – music that unfolds in colors, rhythm, and an intense soundscape.
The concert will feature percussionists from Latvia, Lithuania and Turkey – Guntars Freibergs, Edgars Zaurs (Latvia), Pavel Günter, Sigitas Gailius ( Lithuania), Emil Kuyumcuyan (Turkey), as well as pianists Paulius Anderson (Lithuania) and Rihards Plešanovs (Latvia).
This concert will feature an absolute percussion classic by American composer Steve Reich in the form of music and a vivid, personal concert program “ISTANBUL – the roots”, which is one of the most vivid and sought-after musical autobiographies of contemporary percussionist Emil Kuyumcuyan. Emil invites the senses on a journey to Istanbul – with lively sounds and impressive projections. Images of the Bosphorus city from the 1960s to the ultra-dynamic reality of today intertwine with percussion and electronic sounds, creating an intense sound and visual experience. Kuyumcuyan draws on his diverse roots – Croatian, Greek, Armenian and African – and combines influences from Anatolian music (Turkish traditional music), jazz and modern academic music to create a very personal narrative. Between nostalgia and new beginnings, a concert evening is created that turns questions of memory, change and identity into fascinating music.
In the second part of the concert, Steve Reich's musical world will be introduced by local active percussionist Guntars Freibergs together with his associates and friends – Lithuanian percussionists Pavel Günter, Sigitas Gailius and our own promising new generation musician Edgars Zauras, as well as pianists Paulius Anderson and Rihards Plešanovs. The concert will feature two large-scale works by Steve Reich – “Quartet" for two vibraphones and two pianos, as well as “Sextet” for 4 percussionists and two pianists, which can be considered as classic works in the literature of percussion music. Such compositions challenge musicians with their scope and volume, but introduce listeners to the magical world of minimalism and show it in complete contrast to the stylistic designation – rich, magnificent, full of impressions.
Participates
percussionists
Guntars Freibergs (Latvia)
Pavel Günter (Lithuania)
Sigitas Gailius (Lithuania)
Emil Kuyumcuyan (Turkey)
Edgars Zaurs (Latvia)
pianists
Paulius Anderson (Lithuania)
Rihards Plešanovs (Latvia)
In the program
Steve Reich (1936)
“Quartet” for two vibraphones and two pianos
“Sextet” for 4 percussionists and two pianists
Emil Kuyumcuyan (1993)
ISTANBUL | the roots
Festival “Percussion Sound Ventspils”, The tradition, which only began last spring, is organized by SIA “Kurzemes filharmonija” and Ventspils Music Secondary School with the support of the Ventspils City Municipality and the State Cultural Capital Foundation.
Photography and video recording are possible during the event. The obtained materials will be used for publicity purposes of the event, on the website and social media accounts of the concert hall "Latvija".