Synaesthesis tour in Japan

As the M. K. Čiurlionis exhibition in Tokyo drew to a close, we had the honour of becoming part of this major event. With our performance, the ensemble brought a fitting conclusion to a whole series of events dedicated to Čiurlionis.

It became not only an important pair of concerts within the series, but also a deeply meaningful personal experience for me. An opportunity this unique comes along very, very rarely. I feel deeply honoured that my music was heard under such exceptional circumstances.

The first concert took place at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Tokyo, the largest Catholic church in Japan. Kenzo Tange’s architecture is mesmerising. It is at once a monumental, seemingly boundless concrete structure and an incredibly spacious, light and warm environment in which it is easy to lose yourself. It is a wonderful place to be, and the cathedral’s acoustics are simply enchanting. I remember saying that we needed to bring Julius Aglinskas there and record a Japanese version of the piece. In the altar area, the sound is as clear as in a studio, but the farther away you move, the more pronounced the cathedral’s reverberation becomes, blending everything together with remarkable subtlety.

The second concert took place in Kyoto, at Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. It is a place that leaves you equally speechless, though for entirely different reasons. The enormous wooden structures, the harmony with nature, the scent and the profound sense of tranquillity seemed to suit the piece performed by Synaesthesis perfectly. The concert took place on the Noh theatre stage within the temple complex—a place ordinarily inaccessible to outsiders. Walking through the complex, I kept wanting to pinch myself and make sure that all of this was actually real.

The space itself was not reverberant, and a courtyard separated the musicians from the audience. Yet the sounds coming from the stage seemed to fall into a perfect, harmonious counterpoint with the surroundings and their own soundscape. Before Synaesthesis took the stage, musicians from a gagaku ensemble appeared and, with four wind instruments, almost seemed to consecrate the stage before handing it over to Synaesthesis.

I first learned about gagaku during my first year of studies, through Ramūnas Motiekaitis’ lectures. Ever since then, its sound has made such a strong impression on me that its aesthetics, performance practices and similar timbres have found their way into my own music almost unconsciously. And now I had the opportunity to hear it live!

It seems I have already written far too much, but every tiny event I experienced there could easily have its own chapter. Still, I would like to mention a few details that more than one of us noticed. When Synaesthesis began to play, the space, enveloped in tranquillity, seemed to come alive—a white heron flew past; every branch of the trees swaying in the wind seemed to respond to the changes and intensity of the music; birdsong, the play of sunlight—everything became part of the piece.

And none of this simply fell from the sky. It was the result of an enormous amount of work by Gabija Čepulionytė and her team. I cannot even imagine how many emails, meetings and discussions must have taken place to make these concerts a reality. Everything was executed to an extraordinary standard—the smallest details, the large team of volunteers, the professionalism of the sound and technical crews, the selection, transportation and tuning of the piano, and countless other nuances. There was not the slightest question mark anywhere. Everything, from the technical to the conceptual decisions, was simply perfect. An enormous thank you, Gabija. I admire you very, very much.

I am also endlessly grateful to Marta, whose attention to every detail concerning the ensemble allowed the musicians to perform as professionally and comfortably as possible. The fact alone that she arrived in Japan well in advance to introduce the ensemble and visit the future concert venues is a testament to her extraordinary dedication, for which I am deeply grateful. And, in addition to all her curatorial responsibilities, Marta performed two of Čiurlionis’ works on the organ beautifully. Playing this particular instrument in concert for the first time, she handled all of its challenges brilliantly.

And, of course, Synaesthesis. The way the musicians played together is the result of years of collective work. Despite changing circumstances and very different conditions, they still brought Čiurlionis. Slowed and Reverb to life exactly as it was written, giving it everything they had. Thank you, Monika, Evaldas, Artūras, Armina, Simona and Marta!

After these concerts, we travelled for a while longer. I have no doubt that, for each of us, this became a journey of a lifetime.

2026 June 7 - 24