Justė Janulytė

Works / 2007

Aquarelle

for chamber choir

Programme note
The piece is written in the style of pure repetitive minimalism, the texture is based on the counterpoint of regular pulsations. The choir is split into four micro-ensembles by regulating the texture clarity-density level and interpreting the old tradition of cori spezzati. The harmony is based on the slow sequences of diatonic scales, imitating overlaps of watercolour hues without distinct beginning/end outlines. The piece does not contain verbal text, only mormorando and vowels; hence there is no sound attacks paralleled with consonants of the verbal text. The only gesture in this piece - the sound emerging and submerging into silence, as if a tip of the iceberg revealing only small part of what the hearing cannot grasp, but may be able to imagine.

Duration
9'

PerformersEstonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir | cond. Paul Hillier Camerata Silesia | cond. Anna Szostak The Danish Radio chamber choir | cond. Fredrik Malmberg The Crossing Choir, Philadelphia (USA) | cond. Donald Nally Vox Iuvenalis choir, Brno (CZ) | cond. Jan Ocetek Solistenensemble PHØNIX16 Berlin (DE), cond. Timo Kreuser

Awards In June 2009 "Aquarelle" won the 1st price (in the category of composers under 30) at the International Rostrum of Composers in Paris.

Recording
released by the Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre in 2008 in "Zoom in 7: new music from Lithuania".

Performances
30 October 2007 GAIDA festival, St. Catherine's Church, Vilnius (LT) | 20 September 2009 World New Music Days in Sweden, Växjö Cathedral (SE) | 17 September 2012 Warsaw Autumn festival, Evangelical Reformed Church, Warsaw (PL) | 14 June 2013 International Music festival, Brno (CZ) | 23 June 2013 The Icebox at Crane Arts Center in Nothern Liberties. Philadephia, PA (USA) | 8 February 2020 The Swedish Radio Choir, Berwaldhallen, Stockholm (SE)

Performances

  • perf. by Chamber Choir Ireland. Old St Mary's Church, Clonmel (IE)

  • perf. by Latvian Radio choir, cond. Kaspars Puntinš. Ars Musica festival, Botanique - Musée, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (BE)

  • perf. by the Latvian Radio Choir, cond. Kaspars Putninš. Kaunas, the European Capital of Culture 2022 (LT)

  • perf. by Latvian Radio choir, cond. Kaspars Putninš. deciBels festival, Riga (LV)

  • BBC Singers, cond. James Weeks. Studio recording for BBC Radio 3. London (UK)

  • perf. by Swedish Radio Choir, cond. Giedrė Šlėkytė. Berwaldhallen, Stockholm (SE)

  • perf. Solistenensemble PHOENIX16, cond. Timo Kreuser. St. Johannes-Evangelist-Kirche, Berlin-Mitte (DE)

  • perf. Solistenensemble Phoenix16. Cond. Timo Kreuser. Nicolai Kirke, Bornholm, Ronne (DK)

  • perf. PHONIX16, cond. Timo Kreuser. Katolische Akademie, Berlin-Mitte (DE)

  • perf. The Crossing Choir, cond. Donald Nally. The Icebox at Crane Arts Center in Nothern Liberties. Philadephia, PA (USA)

  • perf. Vox Iuvenalis choir, cond. Jan Ocetek. International Music festival, Brno (CZ)

  • Warsaw Autumn festival, perf. Camerata Silesia, cond. Anna Szostak. Evangelical Reformed Church, Warsaw (PL)

  • The Danish Radio´s chamber choir ”DR Vokalensemblet”, cond. Fredrik Malmberg. WORLD NEW MUSIC DAYS in Sweden (Växjö Cathedral, SE)

  • Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, cond. Paul Hillier. GAIDA festival. St. Catherine's Church, Vilnius (LT)

Press