Composers' Dances with Monikaze

"Composers' Dances" is not a random name for this event. It is a concept that has been around for a very long time at the festival.  When Druskomanija was not yet called Druskomanija, musicologist and composer Linas Paulauskis created a remix of the second part of Rytis Mažulis's "Čiauškančios машину" (Chowking Machine) in 1995, and in the following years he added more pieces and prepared a full programme called "Dances for Composers", which was performed at the Jauna muzika festival.

Over the years, more and more, some manager or coordinator of Druskomania was given the honour of listening to the remixes he had made at that time from Lino's secret archives. And so the dream of organising the "Composers' Dances" again began to take shape. This year, as the festival celebrates its jubilee year, the programme highlights the thread that unites the different events - dance. It is not only reflected in the works and performances, but also embodies the festive mood of the festival. So this Druskomania is the perfect opportunity to bring the idea of "Composers' Dances" to life.

When thinking about who could take on this task, it immediately came to mind that the most suitable person to do it would be a member of the Druskomania community, Monikazė. Over a cup of coffee, this idea was deemed interesting and worthy of consideration.

Monikaze is a versatile composer and electronic music producer. Her style is often described as avant-pop. Her work combines pure and manipulated vocals with different electronic and acoustic textures. Her style is often inspired by IDM, electronica, jazz or instrumental post-minimalist composers. 

Which pieces will take the form of dance? We asked the most active composers of the last decade to propose their works, ideally to be premiered here at Druskomania. The audio files received are currently in the costume fittings of the dance floor.