2015 June 1, Monday, 19.00
Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall, Vilnius
Performers
LITHUANIAN NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Soloists
KHATIA BUNIATISHVILI (piano, Georgia)
Members of NIKO Ensemble (leader Gediminas Gelgotas): Augusta Jusionytė, Dalia Simaška, Julia Ivanova, Justas Kulikauskas, David Dumčius, Auris Galvelis, Gediminas Gelgotas
Conductor KRISTJAN JÄRVI (USA)

Programme
SERGEI RACHMANINOV – Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
GEDIMINAS GELGOTAS – Extracultural for orchestra and ensemble (Lithuanian premiere)

The opening concert of this year’s Vilnius Festival will present musicians from various geographical latitudes – the Lithuanian performers will be led by Kristjan Järvi, an internationally acclaimed Estonian-born American master of the baton. His on-going guest conducting engagements involve the world’s leading orchestras. As a recording artist Järvi has more than 60 albums to his credit, from award-winning albums on Sony, Chandos and renowned French label Naïve Classique to Hollywood soundtracks such as Cloud Atlas (epic feature film). Under his direction the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and Khatia Buniatishvili, a Georgian pianist of younger generation, will perform Sergei Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto. The pianist has appeared in prestigious concert venues such as Wigmore Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Paris and Essen Philharmonic halls, Théâtre Croisette in Cannes to name but a few. The Festival opener highlight – Lithuanian premiere of Lithuanian composer Gediminas Gelgotas’ opus Extracultural (Vilnius Festival commission) presented by the MDR (Central German Broadcasting) Symphony Orchestra. At the very beginning of the year the opus performed by the MDR SO, NICO Ensemble and conductor K.Järvi has received world premiere in Leipzig’s legendary Gewandhaus.