CONCERT PROGRAMME
F. Bajoras. Prelude and Toccata
F. Bajoras. Vocal cycle "Grow, Grow Green Birch" (War songs) for voice and string orchestra
F. Bajoras. Mourning Music
F. Bajoras. “Farewell“
F. Bajoras. Symphony No. 5
One of the most famous classics of Lithuanian music, composer Feliksas Bajoras, laureate of the National Prize, is celebrating his 90th anniversary. On this special occasion, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the artistic director and chief conductor Gintaras Rinkevičius, together with soprano Kamile Bonté will present a program of the most prominent works of F. Bajor at the LSSO concert hall. Before the concert, the audience will have a possibility to attend a meeting with composer F. Bajoras, who will be interviewed by musicologist Jūratė Katinaitė.
"Ever since his creative debut in the 20th century, in the middle of the 1970s, F. Bajoras stood out from his peers and even more so from his younger colleagues with his deep knowledge of ethnic music as well as his special ability to combine the manner of folk performance with the speech formed by modern composing techniques. In today's context, F. Bajoras’ work seems to represent the point of view that every sound is irreplaceable, has a strong expressive load, with its own rhythmic energy, various connections not only between individual elements of the work, but also with other works and eventually with the tradition itself", – wrote musicologist Rūta Gaidamavičiūtė. Prof. Vytautas Landsbergis describes F. Bajoras’ style succinctly: “All the motifs, rhythms, sounds, strokes of F. Bajoras’ music speak as if they were words – it seems that one could simply take them and translate them.”
Having mastered various modern compositional techniques, F. Bajoras does not form an individual compositional system, but rather organically develops his own compositional method. “Still, it's more important to be yourself than to try to be understood,” – asserts the composer, who is unpredictable even in his mature age, surprising with original angles of traditional genres and forms, unique combinations of ethnic and contemporary music. “My task is to use as few notes as possible. Now I want more concentration, peace and simplicity", – says F. Bajoras. Being a typical figure of a non-adaptive, uncompromising, lonely creator, F. Bajoras sets maximum tasks both for himself and for the performers of his music.
F. Bajoras started studying music in Kaunas under the pedagogue, composer and conductor Vincas Bacevičius. At the Lithuanian State Conservatory (now the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre), he graduated from Aleksanders Livontas violin (1957) and Julius Juzeliūnas’ composition (1963) classes. In 1963-1965 he worked as a teacher at the Šiauliai Music School, in 1965-1989 was the leader of the music section of the Youth Theatre. In 1984-1988 F. Bajoras lived in the US. Since 1991 he has been a lecturer at the Lithuanian Academy of Music, since 1994 – associate professor. In 1991-1994 he served as music director of the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre. Since 1966 the composer wrote music for about 40 theatre productions and films, for which he won many awards. Among his most important works are the opera "Lamb of God" (1982), oratorio "Raising of the Bell" (1980), five symphonies, works "Exodus I" (1995) and "Exodus II" (1996), vocal cycles for voice and instruments, and many other pieces.
Among F. Bajoras’ most important awards are the prize of the International Alfredo Casella Competition for Composers in Naples (1968), the State Prize of the LSSR (1981), the Culture and Art Prize of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (1998), the Lithuanian National Culture and Art Prize (2001). In 2007 for his services to Lithuania the composer was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of Gediminas.