The summer at Lūznava Manor will be ending with the Baltic Jazz Festival “Škiuņa džezs” for the fourth time. This year, the festival is planned from August 24 to August 27. Together with the usual rich jazz concert programme, which will include musicians from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and the USA, an important part of the “Škiuņa džezs” festival, as always, will be masterclasses where prospective as well as experienced jazz enthusiasts will be able to enrich their experience. Applications for the masterclasses are accepted until 20th June.

The masterclasses at the “Škiuņa džezs” festival are a great opportunity for music school and higher education institution students, prospective musicians and other jazz enthusiasts in the Baltic States to improve their musical instrument and vocal skills, as well as to develop the ability to improvise and play together in an ensemble under the guidance of an international team of professionals. Besides intensive classes, teachers and masterclass students also play together in public jam evenings. This year, masterclasses will be conducted by Linda Kanter (vocals, ensemble, improvisation/Estonia), Artūrs Kutepovs (guitar, ensemble, improvisation/Latvia), Viktors Ritovs (keyboard, vocals, improvisation/Latvia), Artis Orubs (percussion instruments, ensemble, improvisation/Latvia), Taavo Remmel (contrabass, bass guitar, ensemble, improvisation/Estonia), Kestutis Vaiginis (wind instruments, ensemble, improvisation/Lithuania), and Pranas Kentra (rhythm, ensemble, improvisation/Lithuania).

This time, the “Škiuņa džezs” festival will begin on 24 August with the flute player’s Ilona Kudiņa musical project “Baltic Transit" and continue with the performances of Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian jazz music associations. The festival will host concerts by “Mirage Jazz Orchestra”, “Pranas Kentra quartet”, “Atis Andersons Organ Trio”, “Linda Kanter & Taavo Remmel Band”, “Kestutis Vaiginis Quartet” and will be concluded with the traditional concert programme specially prepared for the festival by the Rēzekne big band and soloists – “Škiuņa džezs” teachers.

To apply for the Baltic Jazz Festival “Škiuņa džezs” masterclasses, those who are interested are asked to complete the festival masterclasses application form HERE by 20th June. Applicants can take part in the masterclasses as active participants or observers. The number of participants is limited.

Tickets for the festival’s public concerts will be available for purchase from 25th May, but evening jam sessions by the participants and teachers of the masterclasses will be available for free. The festival is supported by the Rēzekne Municipality and the State Culture Capital Foundation within the Latgale Culture Programme administered by the Latgale Region Development Agency and is funded by AS “Latvijas valsts meži”.

More information on the participation in the festival’s “Škiuņa džezs” masterclasses: muiza@luznava.lv and +371 29473700 (Latvian, Russian, Lithuanian language) or +371 29390701 (English language).

About the Baltic Jazz Festival “Škiuņa džezs”. The idea of a jazz festival at the Lūznava Manor appeared in September 2018 when the Jazz Music Department was created at Jānis Ivanovs’ Rēzekne Music Secondary School and the jazz musician and composer Toms Lipskis became its director. When he started working in Latgale, he had the idea to create a jazz festival in Lūznava, thus also taking upon himself the artistic direction of the prospective festival. At the end of summer 2018, a jazz festival introductory concert was played at Lūznava’s “Kulturys škiunis” as two concert programmes, thus marking the time and venue of the festival. Unfortunately, in autumn Toms passed prematurely, but to honour the work he had started and devoting the festival to his memory, in August 2019 the Lūznava Manor hosted the first Baltic Jazz Festival “Škiuņa džezs” with the motto “Continuation!”. This year will be the fourth time the ideas and fervour of the festival’s beginnings are carried on and maintained by its artistic director – a trombonist, an active and experienced jazz musician Lauris Amantovs – together with the Lūznava Manor’s team. This year, “Škiuņa džezs” will also serve as a continuation of these ideas, a continuation of jazz music in Latgale, a continuation of experienced jazz musicians passing their knowledge to the young.

Wednesday, 24th August
  • 20:00 Ilona Kudiņa musical project “Baltic Transit” (US, LV). Opening of the Festival – 4.00 €
  • 21:00 Jam session of master class teachers and students – Admission is free

Thursday, 25th August

  • 20:00 Jam session of master class teachers and students – Admission is free

Friday, 26th August

  • 18:00 Broken Glass 4tet (LT) – 4.00 €
  • 19:30 Linda Kanter & Taavo Remmel Band (EE) – 4.00 €  
  • 21:00 Mirage Jazz Orchestra (LV) – 4.00 €  
  • 22:00 Jam session of master class teachers and students – Admission is free

Saturday, 27th August

  • 14:00 Concert of the festival master class ensembles – 4.00 €
  • 18:00 Atis Andersons Organ Trio (LV) – 4.00 €  
  • 19:30 Kestutis Vaiginis Quartet (LT) – 4.00 €
  • 21:00 Final concert of the festival. Rezekne Big Band and soloists – 4.00 €

Tickets:

  • Jam session of master class teachers and students – Admission is free
  • Single concert ticket – 4.00 €
  • One day ticket (26th or 27th August)  – 8.00 €
  • Festival ticket for two days (26.–27.08) – 15.00 €