One of the core necessities of a young talent in his development is the combination of three citeria – new contacts, creative atmosphere and meeting authorities. These aspects are essentially crucial when being out of academic education in tha they help to choose and use one’s knowledge more freely.
Latvian professional art presumes a variety of training means or the so called workshops though these are most closely connected with visual arts. Music workshops in Latvia have been organized in only few specialities. For years a special role in modern music play workshops for composers – creators of music, an etheral speciality, which as if can not be taught though needs contacts, moral and practical advice of more experienced professionals. The young composers of Baltic states paradoxical as it may seem have met each other at such workshops in France, Germany and everywhere else. At the same time it makes problems to create professional relationship directly among the neighbouring states.
In 2002 August 22.-26. Latvian New Music Association and Music and Art Support Foundation organized the first “Workshop for Baltic States Young composers” in the old castle of Dundaga. Those five days the fifteen young authors and six lecturers spent there proved the necessity of such meeting and active cooperation. During the workshop the young composers had an opportunity to contact each other, work individually, listen to performance of their pieces, as well as to get insight in work of the older colleagues, participate in their masterclasses and listen to lectures. The workshop was rather widely reflected in different media – from Latvian Television and Radio till a publication in the prominent international culture magazines.
The music performed at the workshop now forms a part of a new tradition – it constitutes a concert of young composers as a part of annual new music festval Arena.
During the five days the workshop of 2002 helped to manage the core aim – to restore the missing contacts between neighbouring states’ composers and the members of the first workshop decided to meet after two years again.
The second workshop on Usage of vocal in contemporary music reached large-scale international resonance, practical support of local and international institutions as well as major interest of participants. Up to twenty participants from seven countries and four lecturers – Tapio Tuomela (Finland), Toivo Tulev (Estonia), Pçteris Plakidis (Latvia) and Remigius Merkelis (Lithuania) – partook in the workshop. The concert of vocal group Cosmos which performed music by workshop participants turned out to be probably the best attended concert at Dundaga castle.
Third workshop Between intimate and global. Sound aesthetics of contemporary chamber music featured three well known composers - Rolf Wallin (Norway), Klas Torstenson (Sweden/The Netherlands) and John Woolrich (UK). Workshop's residing group was Altera Veritas - one of the most exciting formations in latvian music unifiing latvian traditional folk instruments kokles and traditional academic instruments as flute and accordion.
Fourth workshop is planed from 10 till 18 august of 2008 featuring lecturers Johannes Maria Staud (Austria), Vladimir Tarnopolski (Russia) and Yannis Kyriakides (Cyprus/The Netherlands). Please find more information inside this website. Deadline for registration for participance in workshop is 20 april 2008.
The workshop for young composers in Dundaga is to become a tradition as long as young and initiative generations of composers arise. The project has already gained a considerable international reputation, and it is the only workshop of its kind in the Baltic region. During three previous Workshops, some 50 participants from nine countries have particpated. They have developed their abilities with 12 prominent composers from seven countries. Those who have already been in the small, eastern Latvian town of Dundaga, remember the time of the workshop as full of creative activities, fresh air and romantic country atmosphere. You can get everything in Dundaga except for the daily grind, oppressive city heat and plenty of modern technologies. The Workshop for young composers in Dundaga is a chance to seek inspiration in silence and simplicity under the guidance of excellent composers. It is a chance to hear your own music and that of other composers, and to breathe in deeply.
