Baltic Music Days 2025 Celebrated in Collaboration with Lithuanian Festival Music Autumn and Marked the Launch of a Baltic–Nordic Partnership.
The Baltic Music Days festival, held annually in a different Baltic country, took place this year in collaboration with the Lithuanian contemporary music festival Music Autumn (“Muzikos ruduo”). The joint festival, which embraced an international dimension, was held from October 9–18 at The Energy and Technology Museum, Liepkalnis Water Reservoir, and Kablys Club in Vilnius.
Strengthening Baltic–Nordic Collaboration
The 2025 edition of Baltic Music Days also marked the launch of a three-year partnership between the Baltic and Nordic regions, designed to strengthen the ties between their vibrant music communities and promote new music across the broader Nordic–Baltic landscape.
The event gathered composers, cultural leaders, and music professionals from across the Baltic and Nordic regions for a day of dialogue and exchange focused on music export, fair practice, and inclusive artistic expression.
It opened with Luck Circle: Music Export in the Nordic Region, moderated by Radvilė Buivydienė (LT), which examined the opportunities and challenges in promoting Nordic music internationally. This was followed by a panel discussion on Baltic and Nordic cooperation in the contemporary art music field, moderated by Rasa Murauskaitė-Juškienė, exploring existing networks, potential partnerships, and strategies for long-term collaboration between regional composers and institutions.
The theme of fair practice was at the heart of the day’s conversations. Presentations by Asta Pakarklytė (LT), Lars Lundehave Hansen (DK), Krists Auznieks (LV), and Andrius Juškys addressed issues such as ethical working conditions, artistic value, contractual practices, and the balance between sustainability and wellbeing in the music sector. A discussion moderated by Kristupas Bubnelis followed, offering participants the chance to reflect on different national approaches to fairness in the arts.
In the afternoon, attention turned toward artistic practice and the creation of conditions for the free expression of all composer voices. Sophia Alexandersson (SE) presented Inclusive Music-Making with ShareMusic, focusing on ensemble work and accessible repertoire, while Petra Piiroinen (FI) spoke about the role of culture and the arts in the context of UN climate talks.
The second part of the session featured insights from across the wider Nordic–Baltic region. Jonas Nilsson (GL) discussed contemporary music in Greenland and its infrastructure and challenges. Arve Nordland (NO/Sami) shared experiences from the Sámi composers’ community, and Märt-Matis Lill (EE) addressed artistic expression in the warzone, highlighting ways to support Ukrainian composers.
The event concluded with a group discussion and workshop on aspects of fair practice and authorship for composers, where participants collectively reflected on how to build equitable, transparent, and inclusive professional environments across the Nordic–Baltic music community.
Key participants included the composers’ societies of Denmark (Dansk Komponistforening), the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Sámi Composers Society, and the Suialaa Arts Festival in Greenland, together with the composers’ unions of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Associated partners comprised of Nordic export offices, Baltic music centres and classical radio stations, as well as and ShareMusic & Performing Arts and partners from Scotland, led by Art Music Scotland and Drake Music Scotland.
Upcoming Activities
2025
New Music ExChange Seminar (November 14, Time: 10.30 – 16.00, Kulturværftet, Helsingør, Denmark): Focus on inclusive contemporary music practice.
More info: https://www.sharemusic.se/resources-and-inspiration/newmusicexchange-seminar-14-november
2026
- Latvian New Music Days and Baltic Music Days (April 9–16, Liepāja and Rīga). A curated showcase featuring highlights from Nordic Music Days.
Website: balticmusicdays.eu - New Music ExChange Knowledge Lab (Autumn, Sweden): A cross-border creative space for inclusive artistic development.
2027
- Activities connecting Baltic Music Days, Estonian Music Days and Nordic Music Days, with further details to be confirmed.
Photo: Tomas Terekas