Artistic director Edgars Saksons
Host of the festival Darius Užkuraitis
Artistic Director of the festival has been awarded during the Jubilee Festival
The audience of the 15th International Percussion Festival enjoyed listening to the performer from South Korea, percussionists from Latvia and the Lithuanian ensemble Giunter percussion. The festival also presented a couple of news to the audience – it introduced a silent movie sounded by percussion music for the first time and the festival visited Jonava for the first time, too. Artistic director Edgars Saksons, who has been organizing the festival for the sixth time this year, has been awarded the Token of Appreciation from the Mayor of Ukmergė region.
Rolandas Janickas, the Mayor of the district and Vygaudas Ušackas, the patron of the festival, were the first to appear on the stage during the opening concert of the festival on 8 March, which was dedicated for women. As usual, Edgars Saksons, the artistic director of the festival, gave his speech in Lithuanian from the stage. After congratulating the Lithuanians with the Day of Restoration of the State of Lithuania, and all the women with their day, E.Saxon opened the festival.
Se-Mi Hwang was the first who appeared on the stage. After playing her folk and classical rhythms, she finished her performance with the last composition with the guests from Latvia. In the second part of the concert the percussionists of the neighboring country sounded the silent movie “Safety Last” created by H. Lloyd in 1923. The musical presentation of this film to the audience sounded for the first time and was the world premiere – the Latvian composer Platons Buravickis created music for the symphony orchestra, and the music for percussion musical instruments was arranged by the composer and performer Rihards Zalupe.
On the second day of the festival in Jonava, the program that was earlier played in Ukmergė, was presented. Eugenijus Sabutis, the Mayor of Jonava, thanked the festival for visiting Jonava for the first time and for the opportunity to introduce Jonava residents with percussion sounds. For spectators who were not yet familiar with Marimba’s sound, Se-Mi Hwang showed and explained how to play the marimba. As the musicians are used to play the music for huge halls, this time they have noticed that the audience of Jonava is not acquainted with the music of percussion- only about 100 spectators were listening to the music of percussion in a large hall.
As usually, the traditional concert of Friends of the Festival, attracted a number of spectators to Taujėnai Manor. The best music performed by all the participants of the festival sounded in the hall full of people. The last piece was played together by all the performers.
Before the closing ceremony of the Festival, the Day of Restoration of the State of Lithuania was mentioned at the monument “Lituania Restituta”. The female choir “Žemyna” sang a couple of songs there (choirmaster Neringa Valinskienė). Mayor of the District Rolandas Janickas, Member of the Seimas Juozas Varžgalys, Liudas Mažylis, Professor of Vytautas Magnus University and the one, who found the original of the Act of Independence of 16 February congratulated the people of Ukmergė. While speaking R. Janickas encouraged the crowd to clap more, because Applause means thanks to those who fought for our freedom. The participants of the commemoration, like every year, could see and enjoy listening to the guests of the international percussion music festival.
The closing concert of the Festival started with awards. District Mayor R. Janickas awarded Edgars Saksons, artistic director of the International Festival of Percussion Music “Percussion Ukmergė”, with the Mayor’s token of Appreciation. This award is for the promotion of percussion music, the dissemination of professional art and international cooperation of performers.
Edgars Saksons is a well known performer, concertmaster of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra percussion band, Associate Professor of the Latvian Academy of Music, leading the class of percussion instruments. Edgars Saksons worked in the opera, performed solo concerts in various parts of the world, also played chamber music with various orchestras. In 1994-1995 Edgars Saksons received a scholarship from the Latvian Ministry of Culture, whereas in 2001 he recieved a Great Latvian Music Award.
Since 2011 he has been participating in percussion festivals in Ukmergė as a performer. Since 2014 he has become an artistic director of this festival. Thanks to this director, the festival has become popular because of its high artistic level and the exclusivity of its repertoire. Due to the efforts of Edgars Saksons, world-class performers from Latvia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Taiwan, Guinea, France, Germany and Russia appeared on the stage of Ukmergė Culture Center.
In this concert, performers from Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the guest from South Korea, who has been living in Germany for many years – Se-Mi Hwang, performed solo with the Latvian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Guntis Kuzma.
The 15th Percussion Music Festival is over. The next day after the Festival ended, the artistic director E. Saxon discussed with the organizers of the festival the program, concert venues and performers of the next year.