25 Years of freedom celebrated with the best chamber music from Lithuania
Sept. 21, at the Prague's New Town Hall, a selection of Lithuanian chamber music was performed in a program prepared specially for the 25th anniversary of restoration of Independence of the Republic of Lithuania. This project has united three outstanding young Lithuanian artists living abroad: violinist Dalia Dedinskaite (Lithuania-Austria), cellist Gleb Pyšniak (Lithuania-Austria) and pianist Gintaras Januševičius (Lithuania-Germany). The concert was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in cooperation with the New Town Hall.
This unique program of best Lithuanian chamber music is presented this year on tour in the US and various European countries – the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Sweden, Ukraine, Russia and elsewhere. It also is issued as an album Window to Lithuania, consisting of a selection of Lithuanian chamber music from the 19th century to the present day.
"I am proud that Lithuanian music is presented to Prague audience by young, yet acknowledged in Europe musicians", said the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania in the Czech Republic Edvilas Raudonikis. Performance at the Great Hall of the New City Hall was followed by diplomats, embassy friends and members of the local Lithuanian community.
The initiators of the jubilee program Dédinskaité and Pyšniak aimed to present yet undiscovered treasures of chamber music that can represent Lithuania and its creative energy in the world. "In our busy schedule of this year, this project is a priority for us. It is also charged with our personal emotions – we play the music of our youth, which we miss so much abroad, " the artists say.
The members of the trio have performed in the most prestigious halls and festivals of Europe – Royal Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Wiener Musikverein (Vienna), Moscow Conservatory, Chopin Festival (Duszniki-Zdroj, Poland), Besancon Festival, Mozartfest Würzburg, Dresdner Festspiele and others.
Musicians have put together a program of Lithuanian classics Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, Balys Dvarionas, but also living legends Vytautas Barkauskas, Anatolijus Šenderovas, Zita Bružaité. It includes the world premiere of a song I See the Sea in the Distance by Loreta Narvilaite, composed specially for the occasion.
The project is sponsored by the Council of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society; it has also received the support of Lithuanian embassies abroad.
