On November 25, enjoy a special concert celebrating the 150th birthday of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, one of Lithuania’s most prominent composers and painters, and the enduring cultural ties between Lithuania and the United States. Performed by acclaimed Lithuanian musicians Rokas Zubovas and Gleb Pyšniak, this program will celebrate the impact of Čiurlionis’ art, imbued with cosmic vision and delicate sensitivity, which continues to inspire artists and makers across the globe.
At the heart of the concert lies Čiurlionis’ music and its dialogue with works from different epochs and cultures. The program reflects the cultural ties between Lithuania and the United States — from Litvak composers such as Anatolijus Šenderovas and Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, to American musical icons Philip Glass and George Gershwin, who both boast ancestral ties to Lithuania. Martinaitytė, who has resided in New York City for many years, often explores themes of time, space, and emotional perception in her work. Her latest opus, “unda, unda… inundare…”, was written specifically for Čiurlionis’ 150th birthday. Gershwin’s music, once especially beloved by the Lithuanian émigré community in America, here becomes a symbol of cultural connection, while Glass’ minimalism intriguingly resonates with Čiurlionis’ visionary spirit.
Čiurlionis in Glass is not only a tribute to Čiurlionis’ legacy, but also a living dialogue: between Lithuanian and American musical cultures, between past and present.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
ROKAS ZUBOVAS, PIANIST
Rokas Zubovas is an acclaimed pianist, organizer of cultural events and festivals, and great-grandson of M. K. Čiurlionis. He studied at the Lithuanian Academy of Music. R. Zubovas holds a Master’s degree from De Paul University in Chicago. He studied with pianist Esther Elinaite at the Henrik Neihauz Institute in Zurich, pianist Andrius Kuprevičius in Cleveland, pianist Edward Auer in Bloomington. From 1994 to 2000 R. Zubovas taught in the music department of Saint Xavier University in Chicago. In his concert repertoire and in his other activities, Zubovas has a special interest in promoting the creative legacy of M. K. Čiurlionis. Since 2014, he has been the director of the M. K. Čiurlionis House in Vilnius, the organiser of the Druskininkai Summer with Čiurlionis festival, and one of the initiators of the National M. K. Čiurlionis Route.
GLEB PYŠNIAK, CELLIST
Gleb Pyšniak is one of the most prominent cellists of his generation in the Baltic States. Born in 1987 in Vilnius, the young cellist as early as at the age of 14, made his debut as a soloist with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra (conductor Professor Saulius Sondeckis) on the stage of the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society. And now, throughout his career, the artist has performed as a soloist and chamber music artist in many prestigious concert halls such as, among others, the Royal Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, Vienna Musikverein, the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Rome Quirinal Palace, Accademia Filarmonica Romana, Helsinki Musiikkitalo, Casa da Musica of Porto, Vatroslav Lisinski Concert in Zagreb, Grand Salon des Invalides in Paris, Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Teatro Verdi in Pisa, the Great Guild of Riga City, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the Paul Recital Hall of Julliard School in New York, Chicago Cultural Centre.
