Robots & Petals by Jonas Jurkūnas

Jonas Jurkūnas is a chameleon-like composer who successfully changes his creative ‘skin’ from traditional score writing, electronic sound experiments, soundtracks for the theatre and cinema, to popular culture, background music and – rarely but eagerly – interdisciplinary collaborations that offer opportunities for linking up with his diverse experience.

His creative strategy is similar to postminimalism, as he often employs simple sonic patterns, repetitive structures and rhythmic drive while finding himself in a constant search for new and forgotten timbres. His soundtracks for short films offer faint hints to the music by American film score composer Thomas Newman, while the sound of his chamber and orchestral music is often reminiscent of Bang on a Can or the transformations of Michael Nyman’s minimalism. It’s loaded with agile and energetic rock-like rhythms and a somewhat aggressive sound. Alongside the aesthetics of the new tonality, these are the tactics that the composer often combines with experimental electronic and club music, the stylistic features of ambient music and elements of pop, jazz or romanticism.

Robots & Petals (2016) reveals a great sense of humour and is based on intense and varied rhythms, a broad emotional palette, and diverse tempos from the orchestra.
Golden Chains (2021) exudes a powerful energy and represents a mixture of ideas and techniques that locate it somewhere between jazz and classical music.
Temporarily. Letter to Charles (2012) ) is a composition inspired by the soundtrack for Temporarily, a film by Jūratė Samulionytė where composer has used a musical quote from The Unanswered Question by Charles Ives.

Jonas Jurkūnas is a chameleon-like composer who successfully changes his creative ‘skin’ from traditional score writing, electronic sound experiments, soundtracks for the theatre and cinema, to popular culture, background music and – rarely but eagerly – interdisciplinary collaborations that offer opportunities for linking up with his diverse experience.

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