The winners of first season of YOUNG AND TALENTED

This year, M/House of Jazz organised the YOUNG AND TALENTED competition for new bands for the first time, which took place over a series of eight concert evenings in July and August. Eight new bands took part in the competition:

• Jēkabs Reinis Quintet of Music

• ŠšŠšŠ

• Bogdans Mihailovs Synth Trio

• The R&R Project

• Bille!

• Džonija Elza Quintet

• Blurry Quartet

• Marsa kvintets

  
  

Every Wednesday, one of the bands performed on the M/House of Jazz stage, representing jazz and related musical genres. The aim of the competition was to give young musicians the opportunity to present their original music, develop their professional stage experience and promote the further growth of their projects.

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A key part of the competition was original music – at least 50 per cent of the concert programme had to consist of original compositions or original arrangements. Many groups exceeded this minimum, presenting programmes almost entirely of their own making. The diversity of the participants was also particularly encouraging: the competition featured musicians from music secondary schools in Riga, Ventspils, Liepāja and Rēzekne, as well as university students and young musicians with study experience in Tallinn, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

The Marsa Quintet were awarded the winners of the first YOUNG AND TALENTED competition. The group includes Agate Dreļa and Sabīne Mustermane on vocals, Marta Puhova on piano, Roberts Kasperovičs on double bass and Alberts Būmanis on drums. The original music created by the five musicians blends Latin rhythms, ethnic influences and jazz harmonies. The group’s musical identity, ensemble playing and international potential won over the jury, and as early as February, the Marsa Quintet will travel to Denmark to perform in Aarhus and Copenhagen.

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Meanwhile, Bogdans Mihailovs Synth Trio has received a special award in the category ‘Originality and Modernity of the Project’. The trio comprises Bogdan Mihailov on synthesisers and effects, Nils Valkiainen on bass and Markus Leikums on drums. In Bogdan’s original music, synthesiser textures blend with ambient atmospheres and the energy of progressive rock, creating a contemporary and multi-layered sound. As the winner of the special prize, the trio will have the opportunity to perform once more on the M/House of Jazz stage and make a professional concert recording, which will serve as the next step in the project’s future development.

Overall, the first series of YOUNG AND TALENTED has been a success and has demonstrated that young musicians need a platform like this. We are delighted with the participants’ high musical standard, the significant proportion of original music, and their courage in developing their own sound. We will therefore be continuing YOUNG AND TALENTED next year as well, looking forward to new applications, new bands and new musical discoveries.

Photography: Anna Matule, Dārta Gailīte un Keitija Eizenbārde The programme was supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation and Riga City Council.