One of the most recognizable Lithuanian composers Gediminas Gelgotas, polish violin virtuoso Janusz Wawrowski, soprano Bogumiła Dziel-Wawrowska and Vilnius City NICO Ensemble present their latest album “Consonance” – a unique harmony of Lithuanian, Polish, and Ukrainian cultures. The album “Consonance” was released on October 25 by Warner Classics and is now available on all major streaming platforms. Polish, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian musical traditions intertwine in a harmonious blend of compositions by Mikołaj Piotr Górecki, Gediminas Gelgotas, and Valentin Silvestrov in this album. Additionally, the album will be released in a limited edition on vinyl, with preorders starting soon. This exclusive release will be available in a limited number of copies, making it a treasure for collectors and fans of analog sound. The vinyls will hit selected stores on November 8. Choose music service and listen (click on the link):
Janusz Wawrowski, Gediminas Gelgotas, NICO Ensemble “CONSONANCE”
News & Events
SUCCESSFUL CONDUCTING DEBUTS ON THE FAMOUS PODIUMS IN SWITZERLAND AND FRANCE
In 2024 Gediminas Gelgotas made his successful debuts as a conductor on the famous podiums of the Tonhalle Concert Hall in Zürich, Switzerland, conducting Lithuanian National Symphony orchestra, and in Grand Theatre de Provence, in Aix en Provence, France, with the Lithuanian Chamber orchestra and NICO Ensemble. Both concerts were met with enthusiastic reactions from the audience.
Watch the moments of rehearsal and concert at Zürich Tonhalle in April 4th, 2024 in the YouTube video (click on the link)
ODESSA CLASSICS’24@Zürich Tonhalle/G. Gelgotas w. NICO Ensemble, A. Botvinov, LT National Symphony
STANDING OVATIONS AND ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES FOR THE NEW WORK OF GELGOTAS
The third performance of Gelgotas’ latest work, The Sarabande of Vilnius, has just taken place in Vilnius. The premiere of the piece for choir and symphony orchestra took place at the National Philharmonic in Vilnius, performed by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and the Vilnius Municipal Choir “Jauna muzika”, conducted by Gelgotas himself.
Soon after, the second premiere at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic was announced, followed by another performance of the work – each of which attracted a large and enthusiastic audience, who celebrated the new composition with standing ovations for the author and the performers on stage.
The text of the new composition, dedicated to the 700th anniversary of the city of Vilnius, was written by the famous Lithuanian writer Kristina Sabaliauskaitė. The premiere was recorded and filmed by the National Philharmonic Television.
You can watch the full video recording of the premiere here (click on the link): https://nationalphilharmonic.tv
APPEARANCE AT THE ARTE TV SHOW EUROPE@HOME
Violinist Daniel Hope presents the music of Gelgotas’ at the ARTE TV show Europe@Home
On Friday, February 19th, Gediminas Gelgotas’ music will be presented for international audiences at the ARTE Television program Europe at Home, hosted by the famous violinist David Hope. It is the first time Mr. Hope will be performing Gelgotas’ music. During the 40 minute TV show, Daniel Hope will perform To the Skies and Transitory by Gelgotas’. Gediminas will also perform two piano preludes of M. K. Čiurlionis and Cadenza and Never Ignore the Cosmic Ocean with the Lithuanian violinist, concertmaster of the New Ideas Chamber Orchestra NICO Augusta Jusionyte.
You can watch the show here (click on the link below)
Daniel Hope with Gediminas Gelgotas and Augusta Jusionytė – Watch the full programme | ARTE Concert
AWARD FROM THE LITHUANIAN MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND NEW POSITION AT THE LITHUANIAN ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND THEATRE
Gelgotas receives the highest award from the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture and gets appointed as an associate professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater.
In September 2020, Gediminas Gelgotas was awarded the highest award of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania for merits in Lithuanian culture – the badge of honor “Bring your light and believe”. The composer was awarded for the original, innovative artistic expression, emotional persuasion of creation, and musical diversity, passing on his experience to the young generation of musicians, making Lithuanian professional music famous in the world.
Also, as of September 2020, he is an associate professor at the composition department of Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy in Vilnius. At the same academy, he also leads the students’ string orchestra.
NEW RECORDINGS BY DAVID GERINGAS, ROMAN PATKOLO AND DAVID NEBEL ON SPOTIFY
Three new recordings of Gediminas Gelgotas music from now on is available to listen on Spotify.
Famous cellist David Geringas, for whom such composers as Gubaidulina, Vasks and Tüür dedicated their concertos, recorded Gelgotas’ piece To the Skies. Another recording was made by probably the most famous classical doublebass performer of today, the recipient of Opus Classic Award in 2018 (best instrumentalist category) Roman Patkoló (piece called Transitory). And David Nebel, violinist who just released his first album with Sony label and who
commissioned Gelgotas to write a violin concerto few years ago, recorded the Cadenza from this Violin Concerto.
Enjoy all of these three new recordings on Spotify, click here.
GELGOTAS’ MUSIC DEBUT AT THE ODESSA PHILHARMONIC AND ODESSA CLASSICS FESTIVAL
On August 17th, 2020, the concert of Gelgotas’ music, as a part of the prestigious Odessa Classics festival, took place at the Great Hall of Odessa Philharmonic. Compositions Sanctifaction, Never Ignore the Cosmic Ocean, To the Skies, Extracadenza, Sacred Unreligious Soul, Transitory, Cadenza from Violin Concerto No.1 and other works were performed by the composer himself and his ensemble NICO.
Please find an excerpt from one of the reviews below:
“Lithuanian composer, conductor, pianist Gediminas Gelgotas and his ensemble conquered the Odessa audience
<…>
His ideas in music are a clear embodiment of our current reality, where boundaries between Classical and Popular music are blurred. In fact, this is one of the directions that Classical music is taking on in our time and this direction is what helps us to keep the interest of today’s audiences, creates progress and evolution in our field.”
(Olesya Baglyukova, mystetsvo.in.ua)
NEW GELGOTAS’ MUSIC VIDEO ON THE VIOLIN CHANNEL
A music video of acclaimed cellist David Geringas performing Gediminas Gelgotas’ ‘To the Skies‘ for Cello & Piano is premiered on The Violin Channel’s ‘New Music Tuesday’, alongside with a short interview of the composer. Piece was recorded and filmed live on the 12th of December, 2019 – in Vilnius City Hall, Lithuania. This is already a second time Gelgotas’ music is presented in this worlds leading classical music news channel.
STANDING OVATIONS FOR GELGOTAS’ MUSIC AT THE ST PETERSBURG PHILHARMONIC
“Breadth of views, depth, freedom, mobility, courage and, most importantly, openness”
On February 2nd, 2020, the concert of Gelgotas’ music took place at the prestigious Chamber Hall of Saint Petersburg Philharmonic. Compositions Sanctifaction, Never Ignore the Cosmic Ocean, To the Skies, Extracadenza, Sacred Unreligious Soul, Transitory, Unknown 21,Free, What’s Unrobotizable was performed by the composer himself and his ensemble NICO.
“The whole concert was a spectacle, an aesthetic delight. It is obvious that Gelgotas thinks not only as a composer, but also as a Director. No wonder he called his program-show, I would say “classic show”, in which everything is arranged flawlessly-music, style, dynamics, quality of performance, choreography, light, communication with the audience. Refinement, skill, at the same time, simplicity, taste, joy. In terms of imagery, commitment to minimalism and energy, Gelgotas ‘ music echoes the work of Alfred Schnittke, but is absolutely original, the vector of movement is love of life. In it, the personality of Gediminas — breadth of views, depth, freedom, mobility, courage and, most importantly, openness. Interestingly, Gelgotas sometimes complements the sound of instruments with his singing. What an organic unity, archaic and modern! Classy. As a Creator, he feels equally comfortable in any musical space from the Baroque to the most “sharp” rhythms of the third Millennium. And yet, I would say that the music of Gelgotas is contemplation, thought is immersed in reality, and images are drawn up. He does not set boundaries between man and nature, past and future, life and death. In his music, everything lives simultaneously, interpenetrating. This is like the pulse of life, like time, which in human perception sometimes flies, then freezes, but never stops” – written by Nadezhda Rogozhina at russculture.ru
BREATH-TAKING VIOLIN VIRTUOSO ROMAN KIM TO PERFORM GELGOTAS’ VIOLIN CONCERTO
On March 16th, 2019, famous violin virtuoso Roman Kim will perform the Violin Concerto of Gelgotas in Vilnius, with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra. An exciting concert at the Compensa Concert Hall organised by the Lithuanian Philharmonic Society will showcase the Lithuanian premiere of the latest work by Gelgotas performed by Kim for the first time, as well as conducted by the composer himself. Recently Gelgotas more and more often appears in a new role – as a conductor with various symphony and chamber orchestras, letting audiences hear his works exactly as they were meant to sound, as well as giving a fresh perspective to everyone’s favourite classical masterpieces in concert halls around Europe.
Tickets and information: https://goo.gl/Cm2VdU
Photo: Ira Weinrauch
