The three finalists of the Big Band Composition Contest for Young Composers from the Baltic and Nordic countries have been announced, and we are happy to congratulate Tobias Stavngaard (Denmark) and the composition "to Be A Human", Aarni Häkkinen (Finland) and the composition "Cliff Dwelling", and Anna Bignami (Italy) and the composition "Bread, Wine and Sugar" with the success.
These compositions will be performed by the Latvian Radio Big Band and soloists in the final of the contest on December 5, 2024. The venue - Spikeri Concert Hall. Prizes: 1st place - € 900, 2nd place - € 700, 3rd place - € 500.
The jury consists of the representatives from all three Baltic States, Norway and Sweden, locally and internationally experienced and renowned musicians and composers - Jievaras Jasinskis (Lithuania), Jon Georg Balke (Norway), Peter Danemo (Sweden), Andris Dzenītis (Latvia) and Jukkis Uotila (Finland).
With this competition, which is unique in the Baltics, we want to discover unknown talents, enrich the repertoire composed for big band, strengthen the ties between the young composers themselves. The competition is open to young composers aged between 18 and 30, including senior grade students of music secondary schools and colleges, university students and young professionals, who are permanently studying or residing in the Baltic and Nordic countries.
The Contest is supported by the Erasmus+ programme, State Culture Cpital Fund of Latvia, the national concert agency "Latvijas Koncerti", and kindly hosted by the National Library of Latvia.
Photo: Oskars Artūrs Upenieks