Composer Vykintas Baltakas's works on this album are based on recycled, reused, or 'found' musical material, reflecting the ouroboros symbol.
Performer Biography
Soprano Rita Balta, who performs on this album, has premiered many contemporary works, including some written specifically for her by composers like Beat Furrer and Vykintas Baltakas.
Compositional Technique
In "Lift to Dubai," Vykintas Baltakas used field recordings of the city, including construction cranes, shopping malls, and even his hotel TV, transforming them into the piece.
Composer Biography
Vykintas Baltakas studied with prominent composers Wolfgang Rihm and Peter Eötvös in Germany, and Emmanuel Nunes at the Paris Conservatory.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Vykintas Baltakas begins his compositions with a "sound idea," which he describes as an incomplete "sound cloud" that he refines into concrete musical elements.
Album & Artwork
The album's title, "Ouroboros," refers to an ancient symbol of a snake or dragon swallowing its own tail, representing self-reflection or cyclicality.
Compositional Technique
The piece "Smokey Arnold" by Vykintas Baltakas is an "alternative track" for the "Heimweh" section of Arnold Schönberg's "Pierrot Lunaire," a common practice in jazz.
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