Traditionally, the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society brings together the greatest forces of Lithuanian composers and performers to celebrate the nation’s greatest holiday – February 16th. Having been collaborating for decades, the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, the Kaunas State Choir and soloists invite you to hear new works by Lithuanian composers as well as Prisikėlimo oratorija (Resurrection Oratorio) by Vytautas Barkauskas (1931–2020), an illustrious composer and a sincere Lithuanian patriot. In this work, the composer seemed to meaningfully summarise his civic and Christian stance and expressed his hope for the survival of the state and its prosperity.

Algirdas Martinaitis’ latest work (2023), the oratorio Tikėjimo ir vilties invokacijos (Invocations of Faith and Hope), was performed for the first time to commemorate the Government’s proclamation of the Day of Remembrance of Exiles and Political Prisoners. Four movements from the oratorio will also be programmed in this solemn evening. “In this time of war and world turmoil, the great suffering of the post-war exile and imprisonment of the people of Lithuania must become for us a sacred memory, a reflection for the present and the future...” – says the composer.

Composer Jonas Jurkūnas also reflects on human existence in his latest opus Apie būtį (On Being). Receiving its world premiere tonight, the work was inspired by a quatrain written by poet Donaldas Kajokas from his collection Karvedys pavargo nugalėti (The Warlord is Tired of Winning). As is typical of Jurkūnas’ compositions, the poetic thought is the basis of the idea, and the colourful narrative is conveyed through an orchestral score. This performance features two young, talented soloists: harpist Joana Daunytė and cellist Elena Daunytė.

Patron of the concert – Gitanas Nausėda, H.E. President of the Republic of Lithuania