Feliksas Bajoras

Feliksas Bajoras (b.1934) began his musical education under Vincas Bacevičius in Kaunas. He studied violin with Prof. Alexander Livont (diploma in 1957) and composition with Prof. Julius Juzeliūnas (diploma in 1963) at the Lithuanian State Conservatory (present Academy of Music and Theatre). In 1965-1989 he was music director of the State Youth Theatre in Vilnius. Since 1966 the composer has received about 40 commissions for incidental music for theatre and cinema which later brought him numerous awards.

In 1968 his Variations for double bass solo and string quartet was awarded the Second Prize at the International Alfred Casella competition (in Naples). In 1981 the composer was awarded State Prize of Lithuania for the sonata "Years Gone By" and "War Songs" ("Grow, Grow Green Birch"). In 1989 he received 1st Prize of Balys Dvarionas for his work Symphony-Diptych, in 1990 - 1st Prize in Jonas Švedas Competition for his work "Morning". In 1998 the composer was awarded Lithuanian Government Prize for the Arts, and in 2001 was awarded the Lithuanian National Arts and Culture Prize. In 2005 he won the prize for the best vocal composition ("Pater noster" for voice and strings) at the composers' competition organized by the Lithuanian Composers' Union.

The works by Feliksas Bajoras are constantly performed at various new music festivals in Lithuania and abroad, among them in "Warsaw Autumn" (1971, 1984, 1993, 1997), Musik-Biennale Berlin (1977), Penderecki Festival in Luslawice (Poland, 1983), Baranov Festival in Sandomierz (Poland, 1984, 1985, 1989), Berliner Festwochen (1989), Theatre Festival in Torun (Poland, 1991), Baltisk Festival in Stockholm (1992), 9th Baltic Theatre Spring in Minsk (Byelorussia, 1992), Festival Gaida (Vilnius, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007), Europa Musicale (Munich, 1993), European Solo Song (Cracow, 1994), De Suite Muziekweek (Amsterdam, 1995), Wratislavia Cantans (Poland, 1995), Festival Kopa (Klaipėda, Lithuania, 1995, 1996), Osterfestival Innsbruck'96 (Canada, 1996), Festival Jauna muzika (Vilnius, 1995, 1997, 1998), Festival Permainų muzika (Klaipėda, 2008), Festival Probaltica'97 in Torun (Poland, 1997), Chamber Music Festival Silezian Quartet and It's Guests (Poland, 1998).

Feliksas Bajoras is a modern, consistent and spontaneous follower of the "new folklorism". The authenticity of his music arises from mental links with Lithuanian ethnic tradition and folklore. The works by Feliksas Bajoras are nearly void of any folklore quotations, however, the genuinely national character of his music stems from the unique folklore treasures, the folk-like manner of performance and the Lithuanian "melody of speech" - the link between intonation and word. "All the motifs, rhythms, sounds and strokes of Feliksas Bajoras' music seem to be speaking in words, why not take and translate them", - wrote the musicologist Vytautas Landsbergis. Having mastered various modern compositional techniques, Bajoras does not make an attempt to form an individual compositional system, but highly organically continues to develop his own compositional method. "My task is to use as few notes as possible (...) Now I would like more concentration, peace and simplicity" (Feliksas Bajoras).