Recently, at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, an American pianist Robert Fleitz defended his Master thesis “Microtonality in works for solo piano: Three case studies in the Baltic keyboard repertoire”. Fleitz discusses 3 compositions for piano written by Baltic composers: Santa Ratniece (1977) – In Love with Liberty (2016), Liisa Hirsch (1984) – Quantum Well (2020) and Justina Repečkaitė (1989) -  Sturnus vulgaris cohibitus (2020).

Justina’s music was also analyzed by Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre students: Ona Jarmalavičiūtė’s bachelor thesis Komponavimo proceso atodangos J. Repečkaitės kompozicijoje „Chartres” (2018) examines her piece Chartres (2012) for string orchestra and Agnė Pilkauskaitės’ Master thesis The significance and expression of extended techniques in sonorous compositions for string instruments (2021) includes an example of Vellum (2020) for orchestra.

In an article Darmstädter Ferienkurse 2021 from the journal TEMPO (Cambridge University Press) musicologist Max Erwin writes:

“Right next door in front of the steps leading up to the Ludwigskirche, Justina Repečkaitė’s Pulsating skin began as four snare drum membranes began to vibrate from the effect of transducers placed on their underside, just as the title promised…

Šarūnas Nakas, composer and cultural critic, prepared a radio essay Alchemy. Justina Repečkaitė (2020) for Lithuanian National Radio :“It seems like Repečkaitė is some kind of a situational alchemist: her compositions are like life cycles of sonic figures, also, sounds themselves are very materialistic. Processes are quite plant-like, truly organic: withering, germinating, unfolding, wilting, bursting into bloom, blossoming.“

Reviews in French on Justina’s music from Télérama, Journal Zibeline, Resmusica and Anaclase.

Microtonal music is probably the most striking utopia of Lithuanian music that emerged in between two worlds wars. For a long time it seemed that we had J.Kačinskas and 50 years in, – R.Mažulis. But when my colleges and I started to get interested in the topic we have found phenomena…

Exemples of Justina’s systematic quarter-tone approach to composition featuring pre-compositional charts and score reductions of her compositions Tapisserie, Acupuncture and Pulsus Flatus Vox appear in Rima Povilioniene‘s article From Tone Inflection to Microdimensional Glissando: Observations on Microtonal Manner in Contemporary Lithuanian Music

Listen to Justina’s music on Radio France podcasts: composers portrait and Encierro in parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

The music of Justina Repečkaitė has many similarities to a diamond. With its hard unforgiving shape and geometric perfection, it creates a profound and striking beauty, which singles her out from many composers of her generation.

Slowly unfolding and stunningly textured, Lithuanian-born, Paris-based composer Justina Repečkaitė’s for chamber orchestra is a thoroughly riveting listen.

On the 29th September, during the ceremony held by Lithuanian Composers’ Union, prizes were awarded for most prominent pieces of the year and musicology competition works. Every year the most intriguing nomination is the Début of the Year, this year the prize was awarded to young a composer Justina Repečkaitė for a string orchestra piece “Chartres”.