Natural and emotionally appealing music, whose message expresses essential, deep thoughts for all of us, and whose truth, warmth, apparent (diatonic) simplicity and soulful string singing lead the listener on a pilgrimage to the light and cleanses the soul, similar to the music of Peter Vaska. Simultaneously occurring, it is indeed also surprisingly fresh, exciting, rhythmically, texturally and harmonically complex, but still uniquely beautiful and absorbing contemporary music. Such listeners in the concert hall Cesis on Saturday, October 25, got to know the creative handwriting of London-based Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova.

The entire second part of the concert was dedicated to the music of Dobrinka Tabakova, where the violin concerto The patience of trees/The Patience of trees was played first, whose soloist Hugo Tičati’s absolute self-sacrifice brought both a poignantly meditative mood and an extremely tense, relentlessly cultivated climax. On the other hand, a double concert Together Remember to Dance for two pianists, percussion instruments and a string orchestra was an exciting and thorough test both for the soloists – pianists Reinis Zariņas and Daumantas Liepiņas – and for the orchestra and conductor Normunds Shne. The complex musical language and constantly changing, irregular rhythms were a hard nut to crack, which they managed to “bite” convincingly, synchronously and brilliantly, and the audience appreciated it with a well-deserved standing ovation. this evening was the end of the joint residency of percussionists Guntars Freiberg and jura Āzers in the Cēsi concert hall, which was crowned by an excellent performance in both pieces by Dobrinka Tabakova.

Dobrinka Tabakova is one of the most famous and sought-after British composers in the world. Both performers and listeners have fallen in love with her music because it does not represent anything, but is part of her human nature. The artist has collaborated with several Latvian musicians – cellist Kristini Blaumani, youth choir While…, violinist Gidon Kremer and chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica as well as accordionist Ksenia Sidorova, to whom the Accordion concert composed by Dobrinka Tabakova is dedicated. Dobrinka Tabakova’s album String Path (ECM New Series 2013),in which cellist Kristīne Blaumane also plays,has been nominated for an award Grammy. Kristine Blaumane’s cello can also be heard in zero ECM New Series in the published album of the composer Sun Triptych.

When Dobrinka Tabakova enters Days in the editorial office, where our interview was arranged, and sees the cycle of works by Ilmar Blumberg on the walls, her eyes light up. These works feature rough, worked hands that radiate light, and it’s also important to our guest that light shines through her music. The unexpected reunion with Ilmar Blumberg’s art reminded the composer of her collaboration with the youth choir While… whose concert performance and album Servant. bloomberg. While… the specially created compositions of Dobrinkas Tabakova, Pēteras Vaskas, Erik Ešenvalds, Juras Carlsons, georgs pelēčas, Gabriels Jacksons and Vytautas Mishkinas have been immortalized. Painting by Ilmar Blumberg Servant At that time, it was inspired by the choral opus of Dobrinka Tabakov Emerald plate/Tabula Smaragdina for composing.

Do you have a special connection with Latvia and Latvian musicians?

I always feel a great and inspiring emotional fulfillment here.well, I have been working with Latvian musicians for many years and have visited h

The Composer Who Chose Light

I lost two rings while swimming in the sea last summer. It felt like losing a part of myself. I instantly posted in a group on Facebook and, pointing out the exact place where we were swimming, asked if anyone could help. After two hours, we already received a picture of the two rings found, and soon they were with me. Isn’t it a miracle? It’s not the same. I took this as an important sign.

I first heard your music in 2007, when Kristine Blaumane played it with her London trio ASCH. She said at the time that she collaborated with you more than anyone else as you are one of the few modern Western European composers who is not afraid to write beautiful, melancholic music that has life in it.

I started composing at a time when the experimental avant-garde was setting the tone in the world of contemporary academic music. Melody and diatonic or tonal colors were considered old-fashioned: no, you can’t write like that anymore! I respect that, but at the same time I yearn for something else entirely. Music has to speak to people. But we use music, its energy and emotions to communicate and appeal to the heart, not just the mind. It is important for me that the music is beautiful and radiates light. Beauty,balance and peace are sorely lacking in today’s complex and dangerous world,so I want my music to bring humanity and light,so that at least the microcosm created by music is as beautiful and benevolent as possible,and that it also makes the macrocosm in which we live a little better. Originality reduced to a fetish is depressing. We all breathe the same air, we have a similar world of feelings, and it is important to continue to create music that reflects our emotions and the environment in which we live.

Unluckily, music cannot stop a war or a pandemic.

We artists want and can do a lot of good, but we also feel powerless. Society today is stunned and numbed by negativity all around. I myself struggle with this every day. At times, everything seems so bad and hopeless that I wonder if there is any point in doing anything at all. It’s getting harder and harder to get over the negativity around you and keep the music sunny.But I feel it as my obligation and mission. Once during my studies, I visited Alfred Schnittke’s festival in London. I like Schnittke’s music, but it destroyed me so much that after four days I felt depressed and wanted to run away and take refuge in a quiet room. Yes, I understood the message of this music, but we have to be careful: how much of all the negativity that is around you do you want to constantly express in your art? This also applies to theater, cinema and the visual arts.

this is also the reason why I don’t write operas. There is too much darkness and violence in modern opera. Kaija Saariaho’s last opera Innocence is a tragic message about a school shooting. Mark Anthony Turnidge’s new opera Celebrations is brilliant, but the story centers on brutal violence against young people. The opera by Pēteris Etveš is also very heavy Love and other demons. There is a lot of horror in the world and I don’t want to glorify it in my music.

It is said that art is a mirror of the modern world, but I, as a listener, do not want all the ugliness, aggression and horror of the world to be reflected in front of me in the concert hall. It is not possible to completely escape from the reality of life and take refuge in pink clouds, but it is necesary to understand that we, people, are fragile in soul and should be more attentive to our inner world.

Where did you find inspiration for the works by violinist Hugo Tičati, pianists Reiņas zariņas and Daumantas Liepiņas, percussionists Guntars Freiberga and Jura Āzera and Sinfonietta Riga did we hear it performed in Cēsis?

violin concerto The patience of trees I wrote during the Cov

Learning to Respect Others’ Truths

Everyone has their own truth, beliefs, and desires.It’s easy to get caught up in what we think is right, but how do we learn to truly respect others, even when we disagree? it isn’t always simple, but it’s incredibly important for building strong relationships and a peaceful world.

One key is recognizing that everyone’s experiences shape their perspective. What seems obvious to you might not be to someone else. They’ve lived a different life, faced different challenges, and learned different lessons. Trying to understand why someone believes what they do, instead of immediately judging it, can make a huge difference.

It’s also vital to practice empathy. Put yourself in their shoes. how would you feel if someone dismissed your beliefs or experiences? You don’t have to agree with them, but you can acknowledge their feelings and validate their perspective. Saying something like, “I can see why you feel that way,” can go a long way.

Active listening is another crucial skill.Really hear what the other person is saying, without interrupting or formulating your response while they’re talking. Ask clarifying questions to ensure you understand their point of view. Often, misunderstandings arise simply because we haven’t truly listened.

remember that respect isn’t about agreement; it’s about acknowledging the inherent worth of every individual. You can disagree respectfully, and even have healthy debates, without resorting to personal attacks or dismissive language. It’s about recognizing that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, irrespective of their beliefs.

It takes effort, but learning to respect others’ truths is a journey worth taking. It fosters understanding,builds bridges,and creates a more compassionate world for everyone.