On Friday evening, December 4, at the Latvian Radio Big Band and vocalist Beata Zviedre’s online concert “Spīķeri Jazz” from the Spīķeri Concert Hall, the jury remotely found out the First Baltic Young Composers Big Band winner of the competition.
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With the composition “Angel’s Share” Kristina Bianca Rantala (Estonia) won the first place in the competition and 700 euros, the second place and 500 euros – Jānis Rubiks (Latvia) with the composition “My peace is dead”, but the jury recognized the third best Reina Ašmanis (Latvia) composition “Wild Life” and awarded 300 euros.
The concert also featured original works by the new generation of Baltic composers, internationally renowned Jievaras Jasinskis (Lithuania), Raul Sööt (Estonia), as well as the musical director of the Latvian Radio Big Band Kārlis Vanags.
Kārlis Vanags, the musical director of the Latvian Radio Big Band, expressed great satisfaction that now, in the conditions of limited concert life, an opportunity was found for this project to sound, which is a small but significant insight into the current work of young Baltic composers writing for the big band. In turn, the experienced jazz musician, JVLMA Jazz Department and also the head of this project Indrikis Weitners acknowledged the high artistic and professional level of the laureates, assessed the competition as very promising and expressed hope to continue excellent cooperation with the Latvian Radio Big Band.
Commenting on the competition and the concert, Jievaras Jasinskis says: “What a great event and it is a great honor for me to be a part of it! All three finalists are winners! All the compositions are really strong both musically and emotionally, as well as very different in style, so It was almost impossible to decide who is the best. Also for the Latvian Radio Big Band! “
Composers aged 18 to 30 who are permanently living or studying in the Baltic States were invited to participate in the Baltic Young Composers’ Big Band composition competition with one self-composed piece. The first round ended in April this year, when 21 young composers submitted their works for evaluation. Experienced and internationally acclaimed jurors from the Baltic States – Raul Sööt (Estonia), Jievaras Jasinskis (Lithuania) and Rolands Kronlaks (Latvia) – nominated ten compositions performed by JVLMA and Riga Dome Choir schools. joint big band led by Dāvis Jurkas, the best three of which fought for the victory in the final.
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