The 'Baltic Music Days 2026. We Live in Different Times' festival starts in a month

In a month, Baltic Music Days 2026 will begin in Riga and Liepaja. With 15 world premieres, 9 concert programs, more than 32 additional performances, international delegates and long-term collaboration with composers’ unions of Nordic countries, the festival with a motto “We Live In Different Times” will begin on April 9 at 17:00 at the Riga Central Station. “Prelude to Different Times” will transform the station for 20 minutes: the pop-up opening event will feature Latvian choirs  “Juventus”, “Minjona” and “Dziesmuvara” led by conductor Valdis Tomsons, performing Finnish composer Tytti Arola’s work for voices and tin can telephones. 

Finnish composer Tytti Arola’s phōnḗ (20’) for voices and tin can telephones was chosen for the opening event on purpose. The title brings together phōnḗ –“sound, voice, speech, language” – and tēle – “far away, distant.” Each singer makes their own tin can telephone to sing into and “speak” through; during the piece, the choir sends imagined greetings across the world. phōnḗ is a reminder to listen to one another, to say what matters, and to stay playful – even across distance.

“The festival begins where time is always in motion: Riga Central Station. Between arrivals and departures, clock-time can suddenly turn into presence – listening as a way of meeting”, – says Krists Auznieks, chairman of the board of the Latvian Composers’ Union and artistic director of the festival.

Commissioned for Nordic Music Days 2024 (with support from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Danish Ministry of Culture), this performance becomes a symbolic bridge between Riga and Liepāja, the Baltics and Scandinavia, past and future, inner and outer time. At the “Prelude to Different Times” choirs “Juventus”, “Minjona” and “Dziesmuvara” will perform, conducted by Valdis Tomsons. Free admission – the concert will be open to everyone.

The “Baltic Music Days 2026. We Live in Different Times” is a central contemporary music event in the Baltic states, annually rotating between Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. This year, the festival initiates a close collaboration not only with the Nordic Music Days but also the composers’ associations of Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Scotland, and the Faroe Islands. As a result, the programmes will feature not only outstanding works by Baltic composers, but also significant music from the Nordic countries, allowing us to better understand and appreciate our closest neighbours.

The festival program:

April 9: Prelude to Different Times. Juventus, Minjona, Dziesmuvara – Riga Central Station

April 10: Kairos/Chronos. Liepāja Symphony Orchestra – “Great Amber” concert hall, Liepāja

April 11: Phantom Streams. Alexander Tillegreen – “Great Amber” concert hall, Liepāja

April 11: Letters to a Young Poet. Latvian Radio Choir – “Great Amber” concert hall, Liepāja

April 12: Turning the Time. Ensemble for New Music Tallinn – “Great Amber” concert hall, Liepāja

April 13: The Arrow of Time. Twenty Fingers Duo – Latvijas Radio 3 “Klasika”, live broadcast

April 14: Active Access: Opening Music-Making Through Technology. Workshop by a Scottish composer Ben Lunn – JVLMA, Riga

April 14: Time to Rise. Qullaq – Ģertrūdes Street Theatre, Riga

April 15: Two Northern Times. Aud the Deep Minded and HAV Duo – Ģertrūdes Street Theatre, Riga

April 16: Timeless Origin. Orchestra Riga – VEF Culture Palace, Riga

April 17: River of Time. Reinis Zariņš – Spīķeri Concert Hall, Riga

Tickets for the festival concerts in Riga and Liepaja are available here: https://www.bilesuparadize.lv/lv/custompage/6008 

The festival is possible thanks to the Latvian State Culture Capital foundation, Riga City Council, Liepāja concert hall “Great Amber”, Liepāja City Municipality, Nordic Music Days, Nordic Culture Fund, Nordic Council of Ministers, Culture Action Europe and Statens Kunstfond; the festival’s informational support is done by Latvijas Radio 3 “Klasika”.