Ką sapnavai?
for ensemble, vocals and tape
2023

Every night, as we turn off the lights and lie down to sleep, our consciousness and body recognize it’s time to rest. As the sleep phases progress, we gradually drift into a deep slumber. Though our eyes are closed, a series of images begins to unfold—sometimes vividly real, sometimes entirely fantastical. But have you ever wondered, in addition to seeing, do we also hear in our dreams? Do we perceive the sounds of the dream environment? Is there a soundscape within dreams? Is there music? Can we play, sing, or create sounds while dreaming?

This piece is designed to accompany the slow descent into sleep and to immerse listeners in an extended acoustic dream. Over twelve movements, the timbres of various instruments and voices intertwine with textures of varying densities, resembling different dream images and soundscapes. The music is crafted to guide sleeping listeners through their subconscious narratives, accompanying or even shaping the sounds of their dreams.

Performed by Synaesthesis and Melos ensembles:
Arminas Bižys / saxophones
Artūras Kažimėkas / clarinets
Simonas Kaupinis / tuba
Marta Finkelštein / piano
Monika Kiknadzė / viola
Arnas Kmieliauskas / violoncello
Karolina Ramonė / voice
Karolina Macytė / voice
Ūla Zemeckytė / voice

Performed at Lithuanian Composer Union celebrating LRT Klasika radio 20th anniversary. 2023 09 30

Recorded by LRT Klasika.

Listen (4 hours recording) :

Short video documentation:

Press:

The 8-hour musical experience "Ką sapnavai?" was composed by Dominykas Digimas and commissioned by LRT KLASIKA to celebrate its 20th anniversary. This unique composition invites listeners to slowly drift into sleep, guided by music that mirrors dreamlike soundscapes through twelve movements. Performed live by the contemporary music ensemble Synaesthesis and vocal group Melos, the piece explores the interplay between subconscious narratives and acoustic immersion, creating a continuous, meditative sound environment. The performance was broadcast live from the Lithuanian Composers' House on LRT KLASIKA from September 30 to October 1, 2023.

Marta Finkelštein, ensemble Synaesthesis:

"During the four-hour rehearsal, we experienced the specific nature of the piece without interruption—it immerses the entire space of the Lithuanian Composers' Union into an alternative flow of time. The room slowly darkens, and the temperature changes. You can feel how the atmosphere shifts as the instrumental sounds evolve. What fascinates me most about this piece is the collective sensation of slow transformation, where you don’t even need to focus your attention like in a typical concert format. It reminds me of a dreamlike state: as an audience member, I would take my favorite companion, a notebook, or a book and enjoy the moment for as long as I could without falling asleep."

Rasa Murauskaitė-Juškienė, senior editor at LRT KLASIKA:

"For LRT KLASIKA's anniversary, we wanted something special. As is often the case, similar ideas seem to float in the air, so 'Ką sapnavai?' was born in a very short time. This piece-experience reflects what LRT KLASIKA has been and continues to be—a radio station offering high-quality, engaging content that encourages listeners to pause, reflect, listen, and discover."

from Kotryna Račiūnaitė's review:

"Reflecting on my impressions after the premiere, I was most pleased that during those four hours, I explored the performance without giving in to the occasionally very lulling melodies or the rhythmic breathing of the people around me. The piece was not just a monotonous flow—I also heard more dynamic, dramatic melodies, and I believe the vocal ensemble's parts shaped new character silhouettes in my dreams. Paying attention to the composer's thoughtful combinations of timbres, I was also amazed by the performers' endurance—seeing them move almost on tiptoe, I waited to see where the soundscape of the dream would lead next. I think the performers felt similarly during the premiere—with slightly sleepy eyes (but not with fingers or vocal cords), they too observed the sleeping audience, which seemed like a mystical dream about frozen time."

Dominykas Digimas, composer:

"We often say that we don't have time, that we need to rush to complete important tasks, and can't afford to rest, etc. This fast-paced lifestyle often takes away our ability to notice what's really happening around us or reflect on what we're feeling. As a result, we lose attentiveness to both our everyday environment and our inner world. We pay little attention to what happens in our dreams and often quickly forget what took place in them, what we saw. Even more so, we don't remember what we heard in them. This piece offers the time we so often lack—8 uninterrupted hours of music during which we can become more attuned to our subconscious inner world."