Several premieres of Echenwald’s music are expected in the coming days. First the symphony The river has started to flow, which will be premiered by the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra on May 9 in the Great Guild. Erik Eshenvald is the LNSO’s composer-in-residence this season, the season-ending concert program on May 17 includes an opus The lakes wake up at dawnwhich was premiered by Andris Nelsons with the Boston Symphony Orchestra a few years ago.
State Academic Choir Latvia and at the concert of pianist Reiņš Zariņš in Cēsis on May 11, the Eric Ešenvald choral symphony will experience its premiere Letters. Its form is unusual: the choir sings under the leadership of Māras Sirmās, while the pianist reads letters written by mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, young women and old people. At the same time, the embassies of Latgale Gore On his 11th birthday, on May 11, in a program of premieres by eight composers of the Latvian Radio Choir, conducted by Kaspars Putniņš Infinity beads – Erika Ešenvalda will also light up in a tribute to the Solar System Saturn.
Have you ever had such a large number of premieres in such a short time in your life?
No, there hasn’t been. On the one hand, there is great joy in the fact that these children of mine will finally be born. Along with the events in Latvia, there is also a cycle of songs Lights of Yosemite National Park for the Cambridge Metropolitan Choir with piano accompaniment and more In Paradisum for the Swiss Choir. I composed the great works during the Covid-19 era, when I received creative grants from the Culture Capital Fund, but the premieres were postponed. Then the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, but when I was already writing the last bars, the scandal of the Latvian Academy of Music began. These were very big experiences for me, so the emotional amplitude is so huge. As time and myself changed, I also recomposed the pieces.
Symphony That river has begun to flow for the title of which I have borrowed a line from the poetry of Jānis Šipkēvics Instrument for the song Globesis about breaking out and craving freedom.
This has been a very stressful time for me, which has made me stronger. As I watch all the tradirides of these last two months, I have deep thoughts. I also carefully studied the regulations of the Academy of Music Council, the Law of Universities, the Code of Ethics. I have also had conversations with lawyers and have questions I would like to hear answered. First of all, where is the justice?
Why were negotiations with lawyers necessary?
Because, as the new head of the Department of Composition (only in my second year in this position), I have to get to know how the institution of the university works, which forms the study process, what are the laws, obligations and work deadlines. But since the great experience of scandal, wrongdoing and injustice at the Academy of Music began in March, I am interested to see how this case will be handled. We live in a democracy and of course there are disputes. This issue had to be resolved within the academy, unfortunately the JVLMA council demanded the rector’s resignation. It was a rash decision, and it has devastating consequences.
Has the prestige of the Academy of Music been undermined?
This painful situation has already grown with many opinions and proposed solutions. I think that the five-member university council (Timurs Thomsons, Helena Demakova, Kaspars Putniņš, Artis Sīmanis, Normunds Vīksne) made a gross mistake at the very beginning. Then it turned out that the practice of wrongdoing (harassment of some educators) had been going on for decades.
I was very concerned about two aspects that, in my opinion, were unfair: the disregard for the rule of law and the lack of ethics. By LTV Culture shock the campaign-like avalanche of the first broadcast began. Suspicions, fears and rumors began: who is and who is not on the accused list, who is and who is not in the check bag of the academy.
Since the first broadcast, I have been counting the days when someone will appear in the media (primarily on Latvian Television) who will remind the society affected by the avalanche-like impact that the rule of law can fix this situation. There must be an investigation, the police must be involved, submissions must be made. Six days passed, but there was no reminder of the rule of law. Artists were interviewed, and more directly from the liberal flank, and addressing criticism (to put it mildly) at conservatives. This strategy really worried me.
But what should have been done?
There should be justice, but instead the council just continues to show solidarity with the victims and, in order to alleviate their pain, called on the rector to take responsibility by resigning. Instead of working together, this council decided in such a biased and absurd manner. I would not like to believe that the crocodile tears of Helena Demakov would have clouded the council’s mind to make a decision to call on the rector to resign. I think there were some other considerations. I spoke about this at the press briefing of the Council of JVLMA and the Minister of Culture. I was worried that neither the council nor the minister reminded me about the rule of law. Only later (it seems on the tenth day) did a representative of the Office of the Ombudsman finally speak out in an LTV program.
A more objective approach was felt on the part of Latvian Radio. Some journalists and also the head of the Teachers’ Union wrote on social networks that it is not right to call on the rector to resign. Letters were also written in support of the rector at the Academy of Music. But people are afraid to speak.
The other thing that worried me. Then, when Artis Sīmanis became rector, I felt safe at the Academy of Music. Because when I was a student, I was really afraid of professors who still had a Soviet-era aura around them. I felt safe only with my composition pedagogue Selgas Mence, instrumentation pedagogue Jura Karlsson and piano teacher Vita Vēriņa, but outside of their classes I felt uneasy. Artis Sīmanis came with a democratic, European breath. It was also very good and safe during the time of Guntar Prānis. Why am I telling this story? I was surprised that in the council, which consists of the previous management of JVLMA (vice-rector Normunds Vīksne and former rector Artis Sīmanis), they raised their hands against the current head of the academy, insulting him for his inaction. But wait! The violations that were reported already happened fifty years ago, and such academies were inherited by Imants Kokars and later also by the following rectors: Juris Karlsons, Artis Sīmanis and Guntars Prānis, who was basically the first to thoroughly tackle this issue. Where is the ethics of Sīmans and Vīksnes? This is my second question. I’m not the only one asking this.
Along with the first Culture shock the program began an attack, a lynching. A teacher was even called by Latvian Radio and asked: tell me, are you also one of those mentioned in the anonymous complaints? These two things – the disregard for the rule of law and the lack of ethics – are very disturbing. I think it’s not fair and it needs to be talked about. And don’t be afraid to express your thoughts.
And more. The arbitration court of the Academy recognized this wrongful step (the decision of the council to call the rector to resign) as illegal, but no further actions are initiated aimed at preventing the adverse consequences caused by this violation or the legal responsibility of the council. After what has been done, the council has lost my trust.
I am very interested in how the work of the Music Academy will continue?! From Culture shock At the beginning of March, it was said that a democratic, orderly, safe environment should be created in the Academy of Music, but the deconstructive actions of the council have achieved the exact opposite. The management style of the council is ultimate, its activity is deconstructive, but communication with the group of around six hundred students and teachers of the Music Academy is almost zero. Are they avoiding us or maybe they are afraid that their reasoning will fall apart in a direct conversation? It only increases fear. The tormenting ignorance is very heavy. It shows great injustice and exposes the undersea rocks of politics. Loud statements that Guntars Prānis has done too little are only the opinion of the council. Working at the Academy of Music, I can see that these accusations are not fair. If I had to put a mark on the actions of the JVLMA council, then it is, sorry, unsuccessful. And if the Minister of Culture can afford to unjustifiably join the council’s illegal decision, how should I evaluate the Minister’s performance?
How does the current atmosphere at the university affect your creative and pedagogic work?
The actions of the current council are aimed at dividing the collective, but the worst thing is that silence has returned, as it was in Soviet times. Because in silence and waiting, a person feels safer.
There is, however, a decision of the arbitration court that the council acted illegally. On the other hand, the council regulations state that if a member of the council has violated the law, he has the right to initiate his recall. I am surprised by the silence. The academic arbitration court has decided, but there is no active action by the JVLMA institutions. I read that the recall of council members appointed by the JVLMA Senate may be initiated by the President of the Senate, Ilona Meija. But she is also the rector’s pi now, and I understand that she will not stand against her appointees. This can also be proposed by the chairman of the Constitutional Assembly, the arbitration court, five senators, and the student self-government. If no governing body of the academy does, twenty signatures of JVLMA members could be collected. However, after the erroneous actions of the council, there are so many questions that it is probably better to step aside and remain silent. As a result, we get to the point where we will already be shepherded, will do things for us, will be told how to speak, think and write. This is neither democratic nor in accordance with the meaning of the Academy of Music.
Shall we continue like this?
I will continue to encourage people to speak up. Don’t whisper. Do not hide in corners. We have the right and should not be afraid to express our opinion. I want to encourage and invite everyone in the Academy of Music to look at the Senate Statute, the Code of Ethics, the Council Statute (they are not that long at all!) and understand where I can be useful for the future of the Music Academy with my voice, work, advocacy and support for an idea.
