LITHUANIAN NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
(artistic director and principal conductor Modestas Pitrėnas)
Soloists:
MŪZA RUBACKYTĖ (piano; Lithuania, France, Switzerland)
GUODA GEDVILAITĖ (piano; Lithuania, Germany)
Conductor MODESTAS PITRĖNAS
ARVYDAS MALCYS – Dedication to Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis for symphony orkestra (2025, premiere)
MAURICE RAVEL – Concerto for piano left hand and orchestra in D major
FERENC LISZT – Preludes for orchestra, S. 97; Fantasy on Hungarian Folk Themes for piano and orchestra, S. 123
The 9th Vilnius Piano Festival, which significantly enriches the musical life of the capital city in autumn, is opened by Mūza Rubackytė, a recipient of the Lithuanian National Prize for Culture and Art, founder and artistic director of the Vilnius Piano Festival, one of the most important ambassadors of Lithuanian musical culture in the world. The pianist has an impressive international career, performing with renowned orchestras around the world and giving recitals in many prestigious venues, spreading Lithuanian music throughout the world. Rubackytė’s interpretations of works by Ferenc Liszt occupy a special place in her repertoire, and they will delight the audience at the opening concert of the festival.
Another well-known pianist, Guoda Gedvilaitė, who lives in Germany and is another prominent ambassador of Lithuanian piano art, will also take part in the gourmet feast of piano music. Her concert programmes are always original and unconventional, full of fantasy and freedom. For the opening concert of the festival, Gedvilaitė presents one of the most riveting opuses in her repertoire – Concerto for piano left hand and orchestra by the eminent French impressionist Maurice Ravel. The Concerto was composed for the Austrian pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who had lost his right hand in the WWI. This masterpiece, alongside the programmes dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, commemorates the 150th anniversary of the birth of Maurice Ravel at the Vilnius Piano Festival.
The highlight of the concert will be the premiere of a new work for symphony orchestra by Arvydas Malcys. It is one of the highlights of Čiurlionis’ 150th anniversary in the festival programme. “The idea is to lead the listener along the path of Čiurlionis’ life and work, along the way inserting fragments of quotations from the composer’s works that have been ‘encountered’ as hints. It is a musical fabric with interwoven monologues, dialogues, allegories and dramatic or lyrical climaxes” says the composer.
