ANTANAS JASENKA

Antanas Jasenka (b.1965) studied piano at the Kėdainiai Music School (finishing in 1981), and the Juozas Gruodis College of Music in Kaunas (finishing in 1986). His further studies include composition classes of Algimantas Kubiliūnas (1983-1986) and Osvaldas Balakauskas (1989-1991). In 1994 he graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, composition class of Vytautas Laurušas.

Antanas Jasenka’s works can be heard at the Lithuanian contemporary music festivals (Jauna muzika, Gaida, Permainų muzika, Iš arti) as well as abroad: at the Second International Youth Music Forum in Kiev (1993), Eurocarillon Music Festival in Lion (1993, 1996), MaerzMusik in Berlin (2003), Artacts in St. Johann (Austria, 2003), Personanongrata in Pärnu (Estonia, 2005), Turning Sounds 3 in Warsaw (2005), Audio Art in Warsawa (2006), Sonic Circuits in Washington and New York (2007).

In 1994 the composer was honoured with the prize “Tyla” (Silence) for the work “Āryas”, in 1995 with the second prize of the Lithuanian Music Foundation for the work “Ancient Songs”, in 1998 with the second prize for the work “Ambient” at the competition organized by the Lithuanian F. Schubert Society. In 2002 he was awarded the prize for the best electro-acoustic work (“Deusexmachina”) at the composers’ competition organized by the Lithuanian Composers’ Union. He is also a winner of two prizes of the Golden Stage Cross, as the best Lithuanian theatre composer of the season (for his music for drama productions in 2009 and 2011). From 2010 to 2015 he was director of the electronic music festival “Jauna muzika”.

The composer has participated in a number of projects with such internationally acclaimed artists as Ralf Wehowsky, The Hafler Trio, Artemiy Artemiev, as well as with Lithuanian artists Darius Čiuta, Atrac, Orlandas Narušis, ad_OS, Džiugas Katinas, and others. His music was released by different labels in Russia, USA, the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, England, France, Poland, Lithuania. Since 2008 he is a member of electronic music collective “Diissc Orchestra”. Their debut album D.O., released in the same year and including pieces by five composers (Jasenka’s “Minefield” among them), was again awarded the prize for the best electro-acoustic work at the composers’ competition organized by the Lithuanian Composers’ Union.

Antanas Jasenka started his creative career as a composer writing concert pieces for acoustic instruments. However, his electronic and electro-acoustic music is now much more on demand. It is intense, dynamic and multilayered, populated with diverse electronic sound objects – from harsh noise to glitch and soundscapes (as in his multimedia release Boarding Pass). The composer is often found involved in collective sound projects and interdisciplinary collaborations with various sound, visual artists and writers.