Other events in Baltic States

The Latvian Academy of Music has taken part in an international student project which will culminate in Pilsen (Czech Republic) in October 2015. In 2015, Pilsen is the European Capital of Culture.

The project “5 Rivers” is being prepared in the collaboration of the association Svet podle Jakuba (The World According to Jakub), the Pilsen Conservatory of Music and other institutions. Five composers from Pilsen have been asked to compose a new musical piece for their city on the theme of five Pilsen rivers. Each river has its name, its mood, its history of the surroundings it flows through, each has its task. All this influenced the composers' work, which has been recently finished.

The idea of European Cities of Culture became the inspiration for the project's organisers giving them the chance to put together an international student orchestra which would come here to study and perform this new musical work. "We think that nothing contributes more to the recognition and understanding between nations than acquaintance and collaboration of young people," says Marek Roštik from the association Svet podle Jakuba and continues: "It's always been said in our country that schools of music to the east of us produce great musicians. Although our composers have been told that an orchestra made of college students must be able to play their compositions, their creative efforts could not quite be tamed. This is why we addressed Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in Riga and their high-level students, and we are very pleased and grateful that they have accepted our offer."

Other schools and students involved in the 5 Rivers project include, apart from the Pilsen Conservatory, also Music Conservatory in Košice and Royal Conservatory of Music in Mons. The Wroclaw Academy of Music will be the last school to add their students to the European student orchestra.

The complete orchestra will meet in Pilsen probably on 9.10.2015 to study the compositions together with a choir under the leadership of the Latin-American conductor Norman Gamboa. On 15.10.2015, this new musical work will be performed in the Great Synagogue in Pilsen. On 18.10.2015, it will have its second premiere in the Svetce u Tachova Riding School. The Pilsen Synagogue is the second largest synagogue in Europe. The national heritage building of Svetce riding school is located nearby one of the rivers and it is also the second biggest among European buildings of similar original purpose.