Musical Dialogue: Between Darkness and Light

The contrast between light and darkness is a frequent source of inspiration for artists. From poems about spiritual darkness and the liberating rays of hope to the play of shadows and shifting hues in the visual arts. Music is no exception – without the minor-key passages, the final major chord would sound less solemn.

On April 26, in the LVSO Concert Hall, musicians and choristers will gather for an impressive two-part concert, performing two large-scale works rarely heard in Lithuania that speak both of the dark side of human nature and of our ability to humbly see the best in one another. The ensemble will be conducted by Vytautas Miškinis, winner of the National Culture and Arts Award and artistic director of the boys’ and youth choir “Ąžuoliukas.”

The concert will open with Edward Elgar’s “The Black Knight.” Based on a poem by the German poet Ludwig Uhland about the tragic conclusion of a knights’ tournament, this cantata, written at the end of the 19th century, brought fame to the British composer. This four-movement work will captivate listeners with its majestic and melodic themes, performed by the Ąžuoliukas Boys’ and Youth Choir (artistic director Vytautas Miškinis) and the Šiauliai State Chamber Choir “Polifonija” (artistic director Povilas Vanžodis). The impressive orchestral part of the cantata will be performed by the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra (artistic director and chief conductor Gintaras Rinkevičius).

The second part of the concert will feature Vytautas Miškinis’s “Light Mass” – performed in Lithuania for only the fifth time. This modern choral work, which blends liturgical text with jazz and rock styles and sutartinė motifs, has already captivated audiences in concert halls across Denmark, France, Slovenia, Singapore, and South Africa. The piece will be performed by the Palanga Cultural Center Chamber Choir (artistic director Edmundas Jucevičius) together with “Ąžuoliukas” and “Polifonija,” featuring soloists: Justė Šilaitė (piano), Tadas Motiečius (accordion), Gediminas Steponavičius (bass guitar), and Linas Būda (percussion) and a never before heard arrangement for a symphony orchestra.

The concert consists of two parts with an intermission.

Programme:
E. Elgar, The Black Knight, Op. 25
V. Miškinis, Light Mass

Performers:

Ąžuoliukas Boys’ and Youth Choir
(Artistic Director: Vytautas Miškinis)

Šiauliai State Chamber Choir “Polifonija”
(artistic director and chief conductor Povilas Vanžodis)

Palanga Cultural Center Chamber Choir
(artistic director Edmundas Jucevičius)

Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra
(artistic director and chief conductor Gintaras Rinkevičius)

Justė Šilaitė (piano)

Tadas Motiečius (accordion)

Gediminas Steponavičius (bass guitar)

Linas Būda (percussion)

Conductor Vytautas Miškinis