The debut album Tapestries by Paris-based Lithuanian composer Justina Repečkaitė has been released by the Music Information Centre Lithuania record label. Developed over several years, the CD spans a twelve-year period of creative work and presents Repečkaitė’s collaborations with performers from the Baltic States, Germany, and France.

Repečkaitė is one of the most prominent contemporary Lithuanian composers, whose name is becoming increasingly established on the international music scene. Born in 1989, she studied composition in Lithuania and France, later refining her skills at the renowned IRCAM institute in Paris. Her music is distinguished by conceptual depth, precisely constructed structures, and a unique, intellectually driven artistic language.

Repečkaitė’s work is often associated with architectural and visual principles — musical ideas unfold like ornaments or spatial structures inspired by Gothic cathedrals, stained glass, and textile art. Her compositions are marked by a refined sense of timbre, layered sonic textures, and inventive combinations of instruments and electronics.

The composer masterfully balances strict construction with a sensitive, almost hypnotic sonic flow, creating music that resonates both intellectually and emotionally. Repečkaitė’s works are performed in prestigious concert halls across Europe in collaboration with renowned ensembles and performers, while the map of her premieres continues to expand rapidly.

The debut album features several solo compositions: Datura is performed by trombonist Mathilde Comoy, Sturnus vulgaris cohibitus by pianist Marta Finkelštein, and Incantare by flutist Vytenis Gurstis. For one of Repečkaitė’s most significant works, La Cité des Dames, six soprano lines were recorded in Berlin by Japanese singer Kanae Mozibuchi.

The composer’s most frequently performed work, Tapisserie, was specially recorded for the album with Ensemble for New Music Tallinn, conducted by Arash Yazdani, while the orchestral opuses Chartres and Vellum were performed by Sinfonietta Rīga under the baton of Normunds Šnē and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Clement Power.

The album concludes with Repečkaitė’s work La muë for serpent, children’s choir, and electronics — a special co-production with IRCAM and the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles.

“The Music Information Centre Lithuania gave me the opportunity to create this album according to my own vision — selecting the works, writing the texts, and accompanying designer Liudas Parulskis in his artistic explorations. The album turned out exactly as I had dreamed of it: a curated art object whose pages and sounds inspire exploration,” said the composer upon the album’s release.

“The recordings we gathered meaningfully represent my creative journey — from Lithuania to France (through Germany!). Thanks to the Baltic Music Days festival, connections were established with the other Baltic countries, contributing to the development of my broader identity as a Baltic composer. This album feels like a journey. Although Chartres, Vellum, and Sturnus vulgaris cohibitus have already been performed many times, their premieres took place in Lithuania, while the remaining works premiered in France. The final piece, La muë, performed at IRCAM, symbolizes all of my creative fields and explorations in instrumental, vocal, and electronic music,” Repečkaitė explained.

“First of all, we are truly delighted that the composer chose to release her debut album in Lithuania. Over several years, we developed the album’s programme together, worked intensively with performers in Lithuania, Germany, France, and Estonia, and devoted particular attention to its visual identity — especially the CD booklet. As a record label, we are extremely proud that our catalogue has been enriched by substantial co-productions with IRCAM and some of the region’s leading contemporary music performers,” summarized Radvilė Buivydienė, director of the Music Information Centre Lithuania and producer of the album.

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The album release was financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture. It is available on all music streaming platforms and can be purchased via Bandcamp and the MusicLithuania.com online store.

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Justina Repečkaitė. TAPESTRIES

1. Chartres Sinfonietta Rīga
2. Incantare Vytenis Gurstis
3. Tapisserie Ensemble for New Music Tallinn
4. Sturnus vulgaris cohibitus Marta Finkelštein
5. La Cité des Dames Kanae Mizobuchi
6. Vellum Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
7. Datura Mathilde Comoy
8. La muë Patrick Wibart, The Pages from the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles

Sound engineers: Arūnas Zujus, Natalia Ervits, Karl Erik Laas, Christophe Hauser, Jérémie Bourgogne, Luca Bagnoli (recording at IRCAM)
Mastering: Arūnas Zujus
Graphic design: Liudas Parulskis
English language editor: Brendan Harding
Producer: Radvilė Buivydienė