CHAIN OF
CHANGES

Contemporary music ensemble LENsemble Vilnius

“Chain of Changes” is a creative principle in which each new musical stage builds on and develops the one before it. In this way, the concert’s overall sound becomes a single continuous compositional line. This principle of re-composition is characteristic of Vykintas Baltakas’s work, which is why the concert opens with his re(a)Line for saxophone(s) and electronics. With the help of electronics, the soloist creates a single continuous line that, once recorded at the beginning, is subsequently extended and constantly transformed.

The main performers of the concert are Liudas Mockūnas and the younger generation of saxophonists – graduates of LMTA’s Contemporary Music Performance programme, who, during their studies, combined academic music with free improvisation. It is no coincidence, then, that the principle introduced in the first piece is further developed in improvisational form. Through successive cycles of re-creation, the musical material mutates into an entirely new musical expression.

Symbolically, the concert is concluded with Bronius Kutavičius’s opus “Far Away, Till Midnight” (1995). Written for the rare ensemble of five saxophones and strings, the piece reflects the composer’s fascination with Indian musical culture. As is well known, this culture is grounded in a profound improvisational tradition – over centuries, its musical structures and modes have provided the foundation for a constant process of “rewriting.”

Thus, “Chain of Changes” expresses not only a musical principle but also symbolises the transformation of kindred ideas in the light of generational change.

Concert Program

Vykintas Baltakas

re(a)Line

(premiere)

For saxophone(s) and electronics

improvisations

Bronius Kutavičius

Far Away, Till Midnight

(1995)

For five saxophones and five strings

Performers

LENsemble

Curator and conductor – Vykintas Baltakas

Liudas Mockūnas – saxophone
Gregory Kharaneka – saxophone
Kazimieras Jušinskas – saxophone
Arminas Bižys – saxophone
Artiom Zalizko – saxophone
Vaida Paukštienė – I violin
Ulijona Pugačiukaitė – II violin
Robertas Bliškevičius – viola
Viktor Rekalo – violoncello
Gediminas Stepanavičius – double bass

LENsemble (Lithuanian Ensemble Network), founded on the initiative of composer Vykintas Baltakas, brings together leading interpreters of contemporary music. The ensemble is dedicated to performing today’s repertoire, supporting and promoting new works by Lithuanian composers, and regularly introducing local audiences to important international trends and figures in modern music. Among its collaborators are the Chordos String Quartet, Kaskados Piano Trio, Kristupas Woodwind Quintet, accordionist Raimondas Sviackevičius, and other distinguished Lithuanian performers.

LENsemble has given acclaimed performances at major festivals and venues including Ultraschall Festival Berlin, European Capital of Culture events in Duisburg, Cairo Contemporary Music Days, Concertgebouw Brugge, Flagey Brussels, Composers’ Review Belgrade, Arena Festival Riga, and Poznań Spring Music Festival. In Lithuania, the ensemble is a regular guest at contemporary music festivals such as Gaida, Vilnius Festival, Muzikos ruduo (Music Autumn festival), Jauna Muzika, Iš Arti, Permainų Muzika, Kintai Music Festival and others.

The ensemble collaborates with Kairos Music (Austria), one of Europe’s foremost publishers of contemporary music recordings. Its performances have also been recorded and broadcast by WDR (West German Radio), Deutschlandfunk Kultur, and LRT. Since 2021, LENsemble has released recordings within the contemporary music series of No Business Records.