Benjamin Kobler, pno. (rec. 2013)

work-info: www.baltakas.net/works/pasaka/
recording with score: youtu.be/XZAzUrH8CUU

PASAKA for piano and electronics (1995-97, full recording)

Premiere: 4 July 2021
Munich (DE), Im schwere reiter scope München 
der/gelbe/klang 
Armando Merino (cond.)
http://www.baltakas.net/work/cladi2

Cladi II (2021) for ensemble (full recording)

LENsemble Vilnius
Ieva Sipaitytė (violin), Robertas Bliškevičius (viola), Andrius Žiūra (clarinet), Karolis Kolakauskas (clarinet), Tomas Bieliauskas (oboe)
Raimondas Sviackevičius (accordion)
Vykintas Baltakas (electronics)
Premiere recording at the Gaida festival Vilnius, 29 Nov. 2021
Full work-info: http://www.baltakas.net/work/cladi3
***
Recently, I have been interested in the possibility of accidents in music, i.e. a certain openness of the structure, which can give way to  new harmonies, open unexpected musical situations and focus on the game, rather than exact realization. I have been look-
ing for an open form and new ways of interaction in my works.

Cladi III develops ideas and uses material from previous compositions like Cladi I for accordion (2020, West German Radio) and Cladi II for ensemble (2021, der/gebe/klang ensemble). All three works develop an idea of extended unison, a vivid line witch splits up in different trajectories, changing its internal structure, color and density.

I achieve this by desynchronizing instrumental parts, leaving only specific moments for intersection, this way musicians can react more strongly to the musical context and to each other. The electronics connect and expand these lines in space.
Cladi III is dedicated to the memory of Bronius Kutavičius (1932–2021), my first teacher in composition.

Vykintas Baltakas

2021

Cladi III (2021)for ensemble and electronics (full recording)

Cladi IV is one of a collection of 200 solo pieces 
commissioned to celebrate the bicentenary of the 
Royal Academy of Music London in 2022

Cladi cycle contains four works for different formations:

Cladi (2020) for accordion solo
Cladi II (2021) for flute, oboe, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, viola and cello
Cladi III (2021) for oboe, 2 clarinets, accordion, violin, viola and electronics
Cladi IV (2022) for accordion solo

These works are musically related and can be performed together or separately. 

www.baltakas.net/work/cladi4

Cladi IV (2022) for accordion solo (full recording)

Percussion de Strassbourg
3.3.2023 Mannheim, Live recording 

Spicules are microscopic structures of hard crystal material found in sponges. They have fantastic shapes unique to the different species of each sponge.
This is a perfect metaphor for the musical structure of my piece: a continuous change of the melodic and rhythmical shapes, an ongoing morphing process from one micro element in to another, which results in a musical labyrinth.

Spicules (2023) for 4 marimbas (full recording)

Rita Balta, voice
recording 1993
www.baltakas.net/works/pazeistas_seselis/

PAŽEISTAS ŠEŠĖLIS (VIOLATED SHADOWS) for soprano, marimba and tape (R.Balta, rec. 1993)

Rita Balta (sopr.), Sava Stoianov (tp.)
www.baltakas.net/works/riro/

RiRo for soprano and trumpet (1995-99, full recording)

Rusnė Mataitytė, vno. 
recording: 2014

http://www.baltakas.net/works/nachtmusik/

EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK for violin, 2013 (Rusnė Mataitytė)

Mindaugas Bačkus, cello
Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra
Vykintas Baltakas, cond.
Live recording April 9 2025, Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society Vilnius

Spicules are microscopic structures of hard crystal material found in sponges.
They have fantastic shapes unique to the different species of each sponge.
This is a perfect metaphor for the musical structure of my piece: a continuous
change of the melodic and rhythmical shapes, an ongoing morphing process
from one micro element in to another, which results in a musical labyrinth.
Cello… seeks its voice, yearning to sing—shaping the labyrinth, searching
for openings and hidden ways.

Spicules II (2023) for cello and chamber orchestra

Mindaugas Bačkus, cello
Live recording April 9 2025, Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society Vilnius

The original version of Eine kleine Nachtmusik for violin was composed in 2013 as a commission for the Transit Festival in Leuven (Belgium). It is
based on a lullaby I had been singing to my daughters for several years. The structure of the piece was partially inspired by fractal ideas—where a
large image is formed from many smaller, similar elements. I couldn’t think of a better title than Eine kleine Nachtmusik. The reference to Mozart is, of course, an ironic one…
This version for solo violoncello is dedicated to the memory of my teacher, Wolfgang Rihm.

EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK for cello solo (2013 / 2025)

Gregory Kharaneka, saxophone
https://composersedition.com/vykintasbaltakas/
https://nobusinessrecords-cc.bandcamp.com/album/gregory-kharaneka-kirtis

The central idea of re(a)line is the unfolding of a continuous musical line in its many shapes and expressions. I am deeply interested in modal forms and flexible musical structures, and expect a musician for this work who has experience in free improvisation. The score was deliberately written in a free, graphic style—providing only musical textures—to create a creative space for a sensitive musician.

The work consists of 16 graphically notated pages, each representing a specific musical texture along with instructions for electronic transformation. The piece has an open form: only the first page is fixed, while the order of the remaining pages can change with each performance.

The process begins with the first section, which is recorded live. In the following section, this recording is played back and modified by the soloist’s performance, then recorded again. Each new section takes the previously transformed version as its basis, creating a chain of evolving sound layers. Through this process, the electronic component develops continuously, producing a vivid, morphing musical line.

Although the piece was originally written for saxophone, it may also be performed on any melodic solo instrument.

re(a)line, for any melodic instrument

“Smokey Arnold” for fl, cl, pno, vln, vc (2015)

 Het Collectief: Thomas Dieltjens (piano), Wibert Aerts (vln), Martijn Vink (cello), Julien Hervé (cl), Toon Fret (fl)

Work info: www.baltakas.net/work/SmokeyArnold

Smokey Arnold for ensemble (2015, full recording)

Edmundas Kulikauskas (vc) and Albina Sikšniūtė (pno.)
www.baltakas.net/works/commentum/

COMMENTUM for violoncello and piano (2011, full recording)

Francesco Dillon, solo violoncello
Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra
Jonathan Berman, cond.
Live recording at the Gaida Festival Vilnius, 21.10.2016

COMMENTUM for violoncello and orchestra (2016, full recording)

Klangforum Wien, Maria Harpner
Vykintas Baltakas, cond.

work info: http://www.baltakas.net/works/dense_clouds/
request a full demo for download: http://www.baltakas.net/contact/contact_demoRequest/

ABOUT TO DRINK DENSE CLOUDS for narrator, ensemble and electronics (2003, excerpt)

Vykintas Baltakas: (co)ro(na) for ensemble (2005)
MusikFabrik, Etienne Siebens, cond.

http://www.baltakas.net/works/corona/
request a full demo for download: http://www.baltakas.net/contact/contact_demoRequest/

(co)ro(na) for ensemble (2005, excerpt)

SWR SO, Johannes Kalitzke (cond.)

http://www.baltakas.net/works/poussla/

request a full demo for download: http://www.baltakas.net/contact/contact_demoRequest/


POUSSLA for ensemble and orchestra (2002 / 2006, excerpt)

Klangforum Wien 
Rita Balta, soprano 
Johannes Kalitzke, cond. 

http://www.baltakas.net/works/ouroboros_zyklus1/
request a full downloadable demo: http://www.baltakas.net/contact/contact_demoRequest/

OUROBOROS - ZYKLUS for soprano, ensemble and electronics (2004-05, excerpt)

Rita Balta (sopr.), Sava Stoianov (tp.)

http://www.baltakas.net/works/riro/

request a full downloadable demo: http://www.baltakas.net/contact/contact_demoRequest/

RiRo for soprano and trumpet (1995-99, excerpt)

Ensemble Modern, Franck Ollu (cond.)

info: http://www.baltakas.net/works/lift2dubai/
full video-score: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7TEzA0qFGU
request a full demo for download: http://www.baltakas.net/contact/contact_demoRequest/

LIFT TO DUBAI for ensemble and electronics (2009, excerpt)

Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, 2008

work info: http://www.baltakas.net/work/liebesbeschwoerung

request a full demo for download: http://www.baltakas.net/contact/contact_demoRequest/

INSTRUKTIONEN ZUR DURCHFÜHRUNG EINER ALTEN LIEBESBESCHWÖRUNG... for vocal quartet (2008, excerpt)

Klanforum Wien, Vykintas Baltakas, cond.

video: http://bit.ly/baltakas-video-Nr13

http://www.baltakas.net/works/nr13/

request a full downloadable demo: http://www.baltakas.net/contact/contact_demoRequest/

Nr. 1 / 3 for ensemble (1998-2003, excerpt)

Nr. 5 for disklavier (1995)

Jean-Marie Cottet, pno.

http://www.baltakas.net/works/dasLied/ 
request a full downloadable demo: http://www.baltakas.net/contact/contact_demoRequest/

DAS LIED piano and electronics (2000-01, excerpt)

Lithuanian Ensemble Network, Vykintas Baltakas, cond.
recording: 2012

Andrius Žiūra (cl), Laurynas Lapė (tp), Liudas Mockūnas (ssax), Simonas Sipavičius (asax), Marius Balčytis (trne), Valentas Marozas (trne), Sergejus Kirsenko (tuba), Tomas Kulikauskas (perc.)

www.baltakas.net/works/sinfonia/
www.lithuanian-ensemble.net/

SINFONIA for wind ensemble and percussion (1996)

Lithuanian Ensemble Network, Vykintas Baltakas, cond.
recording: 2012

Andrius Žiūra (cl), Laurynas Lapė (tp), Liudas Mockūnas (ssax), Simonas Sipavičius (asax)

www.baltakas.net/works/nichtstueck/

NICHTSTÜCK for wind ensemble (1996)

Studio Recording 2019
Indrė Baikštytė & Jonė Punytė (piano keyboards), Vykintas Baltakas (electronics)
http://www.baltakas.net/work/sandwriting

2019

Sandwriting (2018) for 2 keyboards & computer

Premiere: 6.10.2019, Venice Biennale 2019
Karin de Fleyt (fl)
HERMESensemble
Gilles Doneux / Centre Pousseur (electronics)

http://www.baltakas.net/work/neon-sea

Neon Sea (2019) for ensemble and electronics (full recording)

Het Collectief
Live recording, 24 October 2015, Leuven (BE)
Work-info: www.baltakas.net/work/smokey-arnold

Smokey Arnold for ensemble (2015, excerpt)

Chordos Quartet
rec. 2012

http://www.baltakas.net/works/belltree

b(ell tree) for string quartet (2007, full recording)

Marcus Weiss (sax), Theodoro Anzellotti (acc.)
WDR SO
Emilio Pomàrico, cond.

www.baltakas.net/works/saxordionphonics


Saxordionphonics for sax, acc and orchestra (2013, excerpt)

Teodoro Anzellotti, acc.
http://www.baltakas.net/work/cladi

Cladi (2020) for accordion solo

Live recording, 2020 Dec 10
Teodoro Anzellotti, acc.
http://www.baltakas.net/work/cladi

Cladi (2020) for accordion solo (excerpt)

Live recording
May 9, 2019 – Montréal, Espace Aline-Letendre du Gesù, (CA)
Quasar Saxophone Quartet
http://www.baltakas.net/work/saxophoenix

Saxopho(e)nix (2014) for sax trio

2019-02-10 Eclat Festival Stuttgart (DE)
SWR Symphonieorchester Brad Lubman, cond.
www.baltakas.net/work/sandwriting2

Sandwriting II for orchestra (2018, excerpt)

Live recording 20 Sept. 2019
Musica Sacra Maastricht
Irene Kurka (sopr)
http://www.baltakas.net/work/incantatio

Lithuanian culture still has strong ties to its pagan roots. The text for 
Incantatio is based on a traditional curse against snake bites. This type of 
verse was pronounced backwards which provides an interesting structure, 
a fine challenge for a composer to rebuild its original meaning.

Incantatio (2019) for female or male voice solo

Vykintas Baltakas, Conductor / Composer

Born in Vilnius in 1972, Vykintas Baltakas already caught attention as a musician and leader of two vocal ensembles, as well as a competition award winner, before studying composition with Wolfgang Rihm and conducting with Andreas Weiss in Karlsruhe from 1993 to 1997. He subsequently studied in Paris at the Conservatoire National Supérieur and took a one year course at IRCAM.
Conductors and composers make up two sides of the coin for the busiest of musicians. “One composes through playing, one plays through composing,“ he says – an attitude shared by Peter Eötvös who was his teacher between 1994 and 1997.
In the meantime he is a regular guest at festivals and with ensembles throughout Europe. Institutions that have commissioned works by Baltakas include the WDR Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Biennale, the Wiener Festwochen/Klangforum Wien, the Ensemble Modern and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/musica viva.
Vykintas Baltakas has in recent years conducted renowned orchestras such as the RSO and DSO Berlin, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the WDR Symphony Orchestra as well as ensembles including Ensemble Resonanz, the Ensemble Modern and Scharoun Ensemble. He has also collaborated with composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen, Georg Friedrich Haas and Dieter Schnebel. In 2009 he founded the Lithuanian Ensemble Network (LEN) of which he is the driving force.
Vykintas Baltakas’ works have been awarded with prizes such as the International Claudio Abbado Composition Prize (2003) and the Siemens Advancement Award (2007). CD recordings of his compositions were recently made by the Ensemble musikFabrik Cologne and the Ensemble Modern.  
Currently V.Baltakas is professor for composition at the conservatories in Maastricht and Brussels. From September 2016 he will lead the master program for performance of contemporary music at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.

Vykintas Baltakas

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks