YXUS & Iris Oja (mezzo-soprano) (Estonia) / Estonian Music Days & Baltic Music Days 2021

Spiral Leap
I
Mirjam Tally (*1976) – Spiral Leap (2021, premiere)
Onutė Narbutaitė (*1956, Lithuania) – Pas de deux for mezzo and cello (2006)
Maria Kõrvits (*1987) – Center of All Centers, Core of Core for flute, bass clarinet, cello, double bass, piano, voice (2021, premiere)
II
Eugene Birman (*1987, Latvia) – Pensées for voice and ensemble (2017)

Inspired by musical experiments and an innovative approach, the YXUS Ensemble aims to connect with the audience and involve them in music in an unexpected and special way. The YXUS Ensemble is not just a group of musicians – it is like a laboratory for crazy ideas, involving musicians, composers, video artists and directors who are willing to experiment. The YXUS Ensemble mostly focuses on performing contemporary chamber music, bringing the world’s contemporary music to Estonia and introducing Estonian music to the audiences abroad. The ensemble’s instrumentation varies according to the requirements of the programme and they mostly perform without a conductor. Occasionally the ensemble collaborates with experienced musicians from Estonia and abroad. This time they have invited mezzo-soprano Iris Oja, who is a member of the vocal ensemble Theatre of Voices steered by the internationally renowned conductor Paul Hillier and works as a singer and chorus master in several others of his ensembles or choirs.