The international percussion music festival “PERCUSSION UKMERGĖ” needs no introduction—for more than two decades, the festival has been heralding the arrival of spring with professional performances and musical rhythms. This year, from March 7–11, percussion music enthusiasts embarked on an auditory journey through the city of Ukmergė—the festival’s theme was the relationship between urban spaces and sound.
Music of Rhythm and Architecture
The festival’s artistic director, composer, and percussionist Arnas Mikalkėnas introduced the festival by inviting the audience to experience each musical piece as an architectural fragment—some rhythms evoked the solid foundation of a stone wall, while others captured the pulse of narrow streets or the reflections in windows.
The festival was opened by the group of Mato Barila, Grand Prix winner of the National Young Drummers Competition—at the concert “Jazz Conversations in the Library” held at the Vladas Šlaitas Public Library of the Ukmergė District Municipality, the young virtuosos presented an energetic jazz program. The following day, the festival moved to the art gallery of the Ukmergė Cultural Center, where Sigitas Gailius and Andrius Rekašius performed works by Lithuanian composers M. K. Čiurlionis, G. Kuprevičius, and other notable composers. Concertgoers had the opportunity to enjoy the music of Lithuanian composers surrounded by the works of folk artists from the Ukmergė district.
On the third day of the “PERCUSSION UKMERGĖ” festival, the audience gathered at the Old (No Longer) Bookstore, where they were treated to a performance by percussionist Christian Windfeld (Denmark)—both the visual and musical elements transported the audience into a unique world of percussion, and the entire performance was executed using just a single instrument, exploiting its full range of possibilities. After the concert, the audience went on a guided tour of Ukmergė’s Old Town, which served as an architectural bridge between the two performances. After a short walk, one of Europe’s most prominent contemporary percussion artists—Ramon Lopez (Spain/France)—performed in the Wedding Ceremony Hall. With the help of drums, the audience was transported to Southern Europe for an hour.
The fourth day of the festival moved to Šventupė Manor, where three exceptional drummers performed—Kresten Osgood (Denmark), Christian Lillinger (Germany), and Arkady Gotesman. During their performance, this trio explored the “space between spaces”—three distinct perspectives merged, simultaneously revealing different rhythms and a pulsating percussion program.
Finally, the festival culminated in a unique and festive celebration of Lithuanian Independence Day. Students from the Ukmergė Art School, the Music Department, the percussion group, and the Antanas Smetona Gymnasium in Ukmergė marked the occasion with an artistic and musical performance. Later, the celebration continued with the musical collage “Song Festival.” The performance was based on home videos from the last decade of the 20th century, capturing scenes from everyday life. Director – Karolis Kaupinis.
The Festival’s Uniqueness
The international percussion music festival “PERCUSSION UKMERGĖ” is arguably the only festival of its kind in Lithuania, attracting professional performers from Europe and around the world. The festival organizers thank the large audience and invite everyone to mark May 22 and September 5 on their calendars—the festival will present several more free concerts.
The festival’s patron is Darius Varnas, Mayor of Ukmergė District Municipality. The festival’s artistic director is composer and percussionist Arnas Mikalkėnas. The patron is the BAC Group of Companies. The project is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture. Festival partners: JAZZ ACADEMY, the Lithuanian Composers’ Union, the Jadvygos Čiurlionytės School of Arts in Varėna, the Ukmergė School of Arts, and the Vladas Šlaitas Public Library of the Ukmergė District Municipality. Sponsors: Stansefabrikken, the Ukmergė District Municipality, and farmer Valentinas Genys.
Photos by Dainius Vytas.
