Vilums, Martins (1974)
Biography Works
The composer and accordion player
Mārtiņš Viļums was born on March 3rd, 1974 in Riga, he studied
accordion at the Mediņš Music School (1991–1996) and then
composition at the Vītols Latvian State Academy of Music
preparatory class with Pēteris Plakidis (1995–1996). He also
studied accordion at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and
Composition with Osvaldas Balakauskas (1996–1997), and then focused
only on composition with Julius Juzeliunas and Rimantas
Janeliauskas (1997–2001) obtaining his Bachelor’s degree. In 2002
he continued studies at the Lithuanian Academy of Music in the
Master’s program with Rimantas Janeliauskas. His topic concerns the
understanding of aspects of time in 20th century music. In 2004, he
received his master’s degree and began his post graduate studies at
the Lithuanian Academy of Music.
His string quartet Sansara obtained first prize in the
Latvian Philharmonic and Latvian Composers’ Union’s organized
competition (1996); the work also received wide acceptance at the
UNESCOInternational Rostrum of
Composers in Paris (1997) and the Luciano Berio
Festival in Japan (at the Tokyo Opera); at concerts in Lithuania,
and in Russia. Many of his other works have received premieres in
Lithuania (at the festivals Vilnius
muzika and Druskomania,
and at the Kaunas Electronic Music Festival. The
composition Le temps scintille by
Mārtiņš Viļums has won at the UNESCOInternational
Rostrum of Composers in Vienna (2005).
He has also appeared as a performer in concerts and festivals
in Latvia and abroad and may be seen in several Lithuanian short
feature films. He has worked as music literature specialist at the
Children’s Studio of the Lithuanian Academy of Music
(2001).