Composer EGIDIJA MEDEKŠAITĖ: "My music is the compilation of Indian music and textile mapping"

Interview with this wonderful composer, Egidija Medekšaitė, was conducted on 2016 08 23.

You can listen to her music here:

https://soundcloud.com/egidija_medeksaite

You worked with a plethora of artists over the years. What collaborations were/are the most interesting and important to You and why?

Yes, you are right. I have been working with various artists, including sculptors, films directors, actors, animators, dancers, choreographers, and visual artists. Each experience brought something special to me; in that case it would be difficult to highlight the only one. For me, these collaborations are more about finding the common language, at the same time having your own freedom in order to create my own interpretation. Maybe it sounds more complicated as it is, but what I have in mind is that throughout the discussions I could understand better in which way we should come up with the final outcome.

 Can You tell me, in short the main ideas are behind Your music? Could You name Your favorite Your compositions / albums / collaborations? What about the new album?

Briefly, my music is the compilation of Indian music and textile mapping. Most of the pieces reflect to various emotions and ideas. It is nothing about to make a statement or to prove my way of composing. Music for me is to feel creative and make simple things sound complicated. The system (mapping textile patterns) works as the background in order to shape the piece, and sound (including all musical parameters) go beyond it. Even you can hear the system or the structure, but the final result reminds the fluctuation or a meditative flow.

Mostly everyday, non-stop, I listen to the same album of Ravi Shankar “Incredible raga Charukauns” or “Chants of India”. My daughter complains a lot about it.

It is very difficult to make a list of the favourite composers, because sometimes I like one piece of one particular composer. Sometimes the piece I disliked many years ago, becomes my favourite one. There are composers, which I admire for their attitude to the sound and for being themselves, such as Rytis Mažulis, Ričardas Kabelis, Onutė Narbutaitė, Šarūnas Nakas, Morton Feldman, Christopher Fox, and Anton Lukoszevieze.

The sound is magic. You‘ve proved it. But, what ends, when there‘s no sound?

All compositions do not have pauses. Silence is also a sound in some ways, but it is not working for me at the moment. When I make a pause in the score it does not convince me that I need to do it. Maybe it will change later.

What is and what is not a Sound Art?

I think it is very hard to determine what is and what is not a sound art. Anything can produce the sound, but then there is a question does it make art?

What do You think about relations between the old art and computer art? Are they compatible?

Yes, sure. Even they represent two different categories of making art. Both of them are good, if you know how to use it in order to express or create.

What do You think about thousands of neofolk/industrial/ambient/tribal/electroacoustic/avangarde etc. bands/projects? Is it a kind of trend, o just a tendency forwards better music?

What does mean “better music”? I do not think that thousands of various projects can produce better music. Technology and computer make things easier to create, as everyone can compose music with simple App, or to be a DJ, or create a soundtrack for short video in the smart phone. I believe something similar happens with different projects. Everyone enables to buy microphone, to have a small studio and do what they want to do. Time values the music. Time values the album. Time values the composition and etc.

What Lithuanian and foreign musicians do You value most?
 
I have only one in my mind is cello player Anton Lukoszevieze, who is a half British/ Lithuanian. He did so many projects and released many albums of Lithuanian music, as well commissioned various Lithuanian composers and he still doing it. Also, he is an amazing performer. You do not need to explain how to perform, he is playing music between the staves as reading the book between the lines.

I think it is very important for composers to find his own performers, who like your music and the way you compose. If happens so, then they will perform it a lot in different venues and festivals.

Would You play (or maybe You did) with a rock, industrial or punk rock band?

Yes, I have been playing keyboards in rock group “Voodoo” for almost 15 years. I was a manager and the only girl in the group. I remember these times as a treasure. Would be great to make a gig after 10 years brake.

What inspires You most?

I have nothing particular. I love to travel. The travel by car or train could make me feel creative. I like to look through the window. I love Rothko. I saw his exhibition in Ryga, Latvia. I could not believe how big paintings were. I remember that feeling of excitement very well. I like to read philosophical books, something very abstract. I like to read articles of physics, chemistry or mathematics. Even I am not reading so much as I used to. I am still trying to be spontaneous and discover things by accident and be open for anything to happen.

What are You working on right now?

I have to write two pieces for church choir until the middle of September. After that, I will write a soundtrack for a short film, which is made by Finish filmmaker Harri Larjosto.

Thank You and good luck.