GRIEŽYNĖ - 2008

September 10-14, 2008

Performers:

Folklore group „ABRA” - Latvia

The folklore group „ ABRA” has played together since 2005, but its members are experienced musicians from other groups in Latvia.
The group plays mainly instrumental music, using latvian traditional ancient instruments – bagpipes, whole wooden drums, kokles, pipes, flutes etc. The way of playing is very close to traditional, authentic as well as our nowdays interpretation. Repertoire is based on the traditional folkmusic developed over several centuries, including different melodies of latvian traditional songs and dances. Some of them are accompaned with singing and dancing.
Most of instruments and costumes are made by members of the group, according to historical materials.
„ABRA” is regular participant of international and national festivals and events.
At the moment there are five members in the group.

Roger Watson – England

Roger Watson plays English dance music on 2- and 3-row diatonic accordions. He is also a singer of English traditional songs and new songs in traditional style, a teacher of music, singing, songwriting and dancing, and a project director.
His career has spanned more than 40 years and he has been involved in many developments in that time. He now leads a band that brings together music from several of England’s ethnic groups to blend into a new and inclusive acoustic sound.
He was a guest at Griezyne in 2004 and is very excited to return in 2008!

www.rogerwatson.co.uk
www.bokahalat.co.uk

Alban Faust – Sweden

Born 1960 in Aachen, Western Germany. Already as a child he was interested in music.
His special interest was focussed on folk music. As a youth he started his first attempts in instrumentmaking and got in touch with drone-musicians. Today he works especially as a
bagpipesmaker and "-doctor". As he is an experienced "Spelman" (player) he can offer the following services as well : "Spelman" and musician on many instruments with different programs as a solo performer or with artist from Sweden and foreign countries, folk music (mainly from Dalsland), medieval music, drone and overtone-musics. For many years he leads classes for bagpipes in his house.

Andris and Aida Kapusts - Latvia

It is a family duet. Andris Kapusts is an folklorist, multiinstrumentalist, organizer of various festivals, musical events and seminars, founder and leader of folklore group "Grodi", the author of world music project "Arpus Laika". Together with his wife Aida Rancane, who is a daughter of good folk fiddler, they play Latvian folk music from various regions and times. Besides restoring and reproducing archaic folklore the couple creates their own model of musical folklore.

Todar Kaskurevich - Belarus

Todar Kaskurevich is professional artist, one of founders of ethnocosmological center “KRIVIJA”, expert and virtuoso of bagpipes. He studies tradition of bagpipes in Belorsussia, Lithuania and Latvia. He also reconstructs and produces such kind of instruments. He writes a book “Bagpipe in lands of Grand Duchy of Lithuania” and works on film about Belorussian bagpipes.

Vilniaus Griežynė - Lithuania

is a special festival project. Evaldas Vyčinas, Gaila Kirdienė and Algirdas Klova are representatives of traditional Lithuanian violin playing. They all have outstanding individual manner of playing the violin but when they play together they keep to the traditional style. They will play melodies that were collected in folklore expeditions.

Events of festival:

EXHIBITION „SĖLA MUSICIANS“

September 10, Wednesday, 15.00 Opening of photo exhibition on Zarasai region musicians and musical instruments. Zarasai region musicians will perform in the concert. Items on display were collected by Gintaras Andrijauskas, a well known folk music performer, a member of “Sadūnai” folk group.

CONCERT BY INSTRUMENTAL FOLKLORE GROUP “VYDRAGA” (LITHUANIA) AND ROGER WATSON (ENGLAND)

September 10, Wednesday, 20.00 It is held to mark 20th anniversary of “Vydraga”.Its new album „Per šilą jojau“ will be presented at the concert. Traditional Lithuanian and English dance tunes will be performed by “Vydraga” and Roger Watson, a virtuoso harmonica player and investigator of folk music playing styles in England.

VISITING FOLK ARTIST JONAS BUGAILIŠKIS

September 11, Thursday, 11.00 Every year “Griežynė” festival guests and Lithuanian folklore enthusiasts have an opportunity to see how skilled masters make musical instruments. This year we will visit the workshop of the folk artist Jonas Bugailiškis.

(flat 10, 17 Aušros Vartų St). This talented wood carver, sculptor, folk instrument master has made lots of kanklės, ragas (traditional woodwind instrument), drums for musicians and folk ensembles. Countless numbers of his musical instruments have gone to foreign countries.

CONCERT BY FESTIVAL GUESTS

September 11, Thursday, 15.00 Festival guests will perform in S.Moniuškos Square (38 Vilniaus St), a cosy nook of Vilnius Old Town.

WORKSHOP ON ENGLISH DANCES AND PLAYING MUSIC

September 11, Thursday, 16.00 This year folklore lovers will be invited to learn English dances and tunes. Dancers and musicians will be taught by professor Roger Watson, an outstanding theoretician and practitioner of folklore of England.

PERFORMANCES BY FESTIVAL GUESTS AT CAFES, BARS AND RESTAURANTS OF VILNIUS

September 11, Thursday 19.00 It is a traditional „Griežynė“ event, a great chance to meet festival guests.Alban Faust (Sweden) and Roger Watson ( England) in Užupio kavinė (2 Užupio St), “Gulyajgorod”group (Ukraine) in “Pilies menė”café (8 Pilies St), “Ambra” group (Latvia) in Marceliukės klėtis (35 Tuskulėnu St).

FOLKOTEQUE

September 11, Thursday, 21.00 Another kind of disco, a recent one in Lithuania, with different genres of music inspired by traditional folklore, various mixes, world music, ethno rock, ethno jazz, etc. This rhythmic music is good for dancing, listening or as a background while having a glass of beer, etc. The folkoteque welcomes everybody willing to have a great time amid the sounds of exotic music. Ruben Pellon (Spain) and Algirdas Klova will be the DJs.

WORKSHOP ON PLAYING MUSIC BY ALBAN FAUST

September 12, Friday, 13.00 This course will be given by one of the most famous bagpipe player and maker in Sweden. The participants will learn about the bagpipe playing traditions. The musician’s books and recordings will be available at the workshop.

FOLKLORE WORKSHOP

September 12, Friday 15.00 At this traditional event “Griežynė” guests will present their instruments. Information on the production of instruments and the traditions of music performance will be given. The technique of performance and the traditional repertoire will be demonstrated. Gaila Kirdienė will be the hostess of the workshop.

GRIEŽYNĖ-2008 GALA CONCERT

September 12, Friday 18.00 This is the main event of the festival where its participants and guests demonstrate best pieces of their repertoire. The audience has an opportunity to see all musicians in corpore and have some lovely surprises. This year you will hear a great number of Lithuanian instrumentalists.

GRIEŽYNĖ CINEMA

September 13, Saturday, 11.00 This traditional “Griežynė” event includes ethnographic documentaries on customs and traditions, production of musical instruments, music players and dances. This year the event has changed: the audience will see Lithuanian films only. Arvydas Barisas’ film “From a Song on Homemade Weaving” will have the first viewing. Three films on “Griežynė“ festival will be presented: “ Echo of Griežynė”, “Griežynė Merrymaking” and “Griežynė 2002“.

CONCERT “KANKLĖS AND BIRBYNĖS PLAY JAZZ”

September 13, Saturday, 16.00 The kanklės is an old string folk instrument of Lithuania. The birbynė comes from shepherd times. Times are changing, as we well know. In this concert modified kanklės and birbynės will play jazz and other popular music pieces written by Lithuanian and foreign composers. The repertoire was made by Kastytis Mikiška.

CONCERT BY FESTIVAL GUESTS

September 13, Saturday, 18.00

FESTIVAL PARTICIPANTS VISIT IGNALINA REGION, GRIEŽYNĖ CLOSING CONCERT

September 14, Sunday. It has become a nice tradition of “taking the festival to people’s homes”. In the country there are folk music lovers, whose music and songs will be performed for the guests of the festival who will get a glimpse of the mode of life of Lithuanian countryside and in the evening in the yard of Ignalina Culture Centre in the closing concert will demonstrate their art to local people.

Photos

Recordings

JURBARKO MUZIKANTAI - Lithuania
JURBARKO MUZIKANTAI - Lithuania
Todar KASHKUREVICH - Belarus
Todar KASHKUREVICH - Belarus
Todar KASHKUREVICH - Belarus
Laima JANSONE - Latvia
Laima JANSONE - Latvia
Laima JANSONE - Latvia
LYGAUDĖ - Lithuania
LYGAUDĖ - Lithuania
Egidijus DARULIS ir Violeta JUOZAPAVIČIŪTĖ - Lithuania
Egidijus DARULIS ir Violeta JUOZAPAVIČIŪTĖ - Lithuania
Egidijus DARULIS - Lithuania
Alban FAUST - Sweden
Alban FAUST - Sweden
Alban FAUST - Sweden
Alban FAUST - Sweden
ABRA - Latvia
ABRA - Latvia
ABRA - Latvia
Roger WATSON - England
Roger WATSON - England
Roger WATSON - England
VILNIAUS GRIEŽYNĖ - Lithuania
VILNIAUS GRIEŽYNĖ - Lithuania
VILNIAUS GRIEŽYNĖ - Lithuania
VILNIAUS GRIEŽYNĖ - Lithuania
Roger WATSON ir VYDRAGA - England/Lithuania
Roger WATSON ir VYDRAGA - England/Lithuania
Roger WATSON ir VYDRAGA - England/Lithuania