International Workshop for Young Composers in Mazsalaca
08/2014 BMA – LV
The international meeting of young composers is a tradition, which goes back to 2002 and was started by the composer Andris Dzenītis and his companions. For the first three times (2002, 2004, 2006) the workshop took place in the legendary Castle of Dundaga, last two workshops (2008, 2010) it is being organized in Mazsalaca – a small town in the north of Latvia, next to the snaky river Salaca. In 2012 the International Young Composers academy took place in Cēsis.
The workshop is deliberately not being organized in big cities – this is a possibility for technologically oversaturated and instantaneous demand-oriented people to feel themselves and to reconsider their spiritual values by being in simple or one could even say primitive conditions, by experiencing a modest and slow way of living. At the same time this one week is being dedicated to intense discussions, training, composing, presentations, individual training with lecturers, making new acquaintances, and enjoying the serene life.
Previous international workshops have gained a certain reputation both locally and internationally and have gathered more than 70 participants from different corners of the world, 16 lecturers – internationally known composers from 9 countries.
Ensemble in residence 2014
DIVERTIMENTO ENSEMBLE (Milano, IT)
Theme
A NEW 
LANGUAGE OF CONTEMPORARY CHAMBER MUSIC
Lecturers
OSCAR BIANCHI (ITALY / SWITZERLAND)
SANDEEP BHAGWATI (INDIA / GERMANY)
ANTON SAFRONOV (RUSSIA / GERMANY)
PROCESS
During the nine days of the workshop every participant will attend private consultations with all lecturers, as well as present his/her music, take part in open rehearsals, seminars and discussions. Each lecturer will read two lectures on current issues of contemporary music. The theme of the workshop is only the axis around which different discourses concentrate. During the workshop all conditions for creative, individual work will be provided.
The residing group is giving 2 concerts – both mixing 10 pieces, written by active participants (appr. 5 minutes each), together with performances of the pieces by the lecturers.
ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS