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The Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, cellist Mindaugas Bačkus and conductor Vykintas Baltakas invite you to the concert Dispute with Schubert. What will be discussed by dint of musical opuses? Baltakas: “The concert programme is akin to crossroads between tradition and its continuation, between the past and the present. The concert is dedicated to the memory of Wolfgang Rihm (1952–2024), one of the greatest German composers of the 20th century, who passed away last year. Rihm was inspired by the late Romantics and was particularly influenced by the ideas of Franz Schubert (tonight the audience will hear Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, composed in 1816). This programme does not focus on differences between the periods, but aims to show the common values, the constant creativity and the desire to search for deeper artistic truths, beyond satisfying the audience’s needs. Rihm was also my teacher, so his works are the centre of the programme, from which bridges are built on the one hand, into the past, towards Schubert, and on the other hand, through my music, into the present.”

“After his composition and conducting studies in Lithuania, Vykintas Baltakas went on to study abroad in the early 1990s, and gradually became successfully integrated in the international music scene. His musical style has been significantly influenced not only by his studies with Wolfgang Rihm and Peter Eötvös but also by his experiences as a conductor specializing in contemporary music repertoire.”
(Music Information Centre Lithuania)