Projects

PAULINE OLIVEROS: Anthology of Text Scores

I had the honour to participate in the Kintai Music Festival programme in July 2024 as artistic director and dramaturge with the members of the IEMA-Ensemble 2023/24. Together with the members of LENsemble (LT), we deepened Pauline Oliveros'es music concepts and text scores at the Kintai residence in Lithuania. Since her musical concept is based on the practice of both inner and outer aware listening (concept of “Deep Listening”), the essential axis of the performance was to create different sonic structures by changing the positions of the musicians, moving in space and using extended playing techniques to simulate or mimic the timbres of different instruments. It was very important to arouse the curiosity of the audience. As the musicians move around the space, the listener can not only hear, but also see every sound action being performed at close range. This is a particularly important educational link in this chosen concert format.

During each concert, all the performers of the combined ensemble revealed their interpretation of each of Pauline OLIVEROS's works in a deeper and more compelling way, thus combining all the textual scores into one continuous narrative. While the structure of the concert itself remained largely unchanged, the sonic result changed and evolved during each concert. The different acoustics of the venues played an important role in each performance. The venue was that eighth instrument, whose influence was determined not only by the sonic environment, but also by the visual-spatial environment in which the musicians had to move.

As a Lithuanian conductor, I am extremely happy and grateful to project curator Kristupus Bubnelis, project manager Gintara Valionyta, as well as Vykintas Baltakas for this unique opportunity to assemble a new ensemble and present a truly unique program to the Lithuanian audience. I bow my head to all the musicians who have shown great interest and dedication from the very beginning.

Photo credit: Nelly Habelt, Gintarė Valionytė, Gabrielė Stočiūtė

Video edit: Raimonda Skabeikaitė