Running Shoes will be performed at Beats during Boundaries.
Gintarė Valionytė is a Lithuanian composer, flautist, music manager and teacher, who actively participates in all kinds of contemporary music scenes and events. She is the artistic director of the contemporary music festival "Druskomanija" and manager of LENsemble Vilnius (Lithuanian Ensemble Network). Her creative work leans toward the minimalistic technique while reaching a maximalist expression. As the author puts it, her music is "loud and fast", repetitive in the musical material but collage-like in its form. Unexpected musical developments while maintaining the unity of her mostly chamber instrumental compositions are a huge part of Gintarė's Valionytė's compositional technique and unique sound, that sparks energy and expression.
Running Shoes
Running Shoes is the result of an exploration of the spatial possibilities of chamber music which has led to a composition. It can be interpreted as a piece about running shoes. Or just running, or just shoes. Or about shoes that are running. It can also be interpreted as a work about speed, endurance, breathing, panting, or as a work that is not about running at all. It may be interpreted in terms of “running high”, or just an emotional high, or maybe just as a piece of music where performers are asked to run and play at the same time. Whatever the interpretation, the piece just runs away and its running shoes are the only thing left for us to interpret.