Čiurlioniada: Organ Music Dedication to M. K. Čiurlionis | Renata Marcinkutė-Lesieur and Benas Jonušas

This concert of organ music is dedicated to Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, whose 150th birthday we celebrate this year.

Organists prof. Renata Maricnkutė-Lesieur and her student Benas Jonušas have prepared a programme full of the composer's own pieces and compositions inspired by them – a specially commissioned transcription of M. K. Čiurlionis' Sonata in F major, prepared by prof. Andrzej Chorosiński, organist and long-time rector of Čiurlionis' alma mater, the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (formerly the Warsaw Music Institute). The programme also features especially for the M. K. Čiurlionis Competition written pieces by the laureates of the Lithuanian National Prize for Culture and Arts: "The Shining", an energetic, somewhat mystical-sounding composition by Faustas Latėnas, and "The Sparks", a lightly soaring piece by Zita Bružaitė. The concert will also include a performance of Maurice Ravel's "Pavane pour une infante défunte", a composer who was a contemporary of M. K. Čiurlionis and one of the most famous French composers of the 20th century, and whose 150th birthday anniversary we are also celebrating. g. The concert will end with a premiere – a dedication to M. K. Čiurlionis, written for the occasion by the young composer Jurgis Kubilius. This event is part of the concert series "Čiurlioniada. Piano and Organ Music Evenings". On this special occasion, the Center for International Cultural Projects has invited special guests and jury members, laureates of the various editions of the International M. K. Čiurlionis Organ and Piano Competition to the Lithuanian capital. In addition to the composer's own organ and piano works, the program of the cycle will also include premieres of the pieces inspired by Čiurlionis's legacy, explications of the fragments or just the themes left, improvisations, newly prepared and previously created arrangements, and the work of contemporaries.

 

Project is partly sponsored by: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, Lithuanian Council for Culture, Vilnius City Municipality.

 

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PROGRAMME

 

PART I:

 

❯ Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875–1911)

Sonata in F major (arr. by A. Chorosiński):

I. Allegro moderato

II. Andante

III. Scherzo

IV. Finalle

 

❯ Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)

Pavane pour une infante défunte, M. 19 (original arr. by M. Ravel)

 

PART II:

 

❯ Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875–1911)

Fugue in B-flat minor, VL 345 (arr. by J. Landsbergytė)

 

❯ Faustas Latėnas (1956–2020)

The Shining

 

❯ Zita Bružaitė (b. 1966)

The Sparks

 

❯ Jurgis Kubilius (b. 1998)

Premiere

 

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ARTISTS

 

Renata Marcinkutė-Lesieur is a professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, head of the Religious Music Centre, artistic director of the Sacred Music Hours (part of the Christopher Festival), titular of the Vilnius St. Casimir's Church, laureate of the Lithuanian Republic Government's Culture and Arts Prize, laureate of the 1st International M. K. Čiurlionis Competition for Organ, current artistic director of this competition.

 

Benas Jonušas is one of the most promising Lithuanian organists, a diploma winner of the 9th International M. K. Čiurlionis Competition for Organ, a graduate of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (led by prof. Renata Marcinkutė-Lesieur), who actively performs in Lithuania, Northern, Eastern and Central Europe. The performer also plays chamber music, has appeared with state orchestras, and his wide repertoire covers Baroque classical music and experiments of the contemporary music.

 

Andrzej Chorosiński has performed throughout almost all European countries, Israel, USA, Canada, South Korea, Japan and Australia, giving concerts in the cathedrals of Cologne, Oslo, Notre-Dame in Paris, St Catherineʼs in Ontario and many other famous venues. He has made radio and television broadcasts in Poland and abroad, and recorded over 20 LP’s and CD’s. He received the title of the Professor of Musical Arts in 1992, and since then he has been teaching organ at Warsaw and Wroclaw Academies of Music.

 

Between 1993 and 1997, he was the rector of Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw. At the same time, he was a member of the Board of the Association of Rectors of European Conservatories, Academies and Universities of Music. Since 1999, A. Chorosiński has been head of the Institute of Organ and Harpsichord at Warsaw Academy of Music, and from 1997 to 2002, he combined these duties with those of the artistic director of the Silesia Philharmonic. In 2008, he became doctor honoris causa of the Keimyung University in South Korea. Throughout all these years of musical and academic career, Andrzej Chorosiński has participated as a consultant and designer in the numerous projects which specialise in organ building in Poland, Germany, Canada and Japan.

 

Jurgis Kubilius creative practice embodies the Hermes archetype: a mediator bridging intuitive and logical, conceptual and aesthetic realms, often infused with paradox and humour. His work consistently explores contradictions and multi-layered meanings, synthesizing diverse and seemingly incompatible elements into cohesive artistic experiences. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre working with prof. Vaclovas Augustinas and prof. Mārtiņš Viļums. At the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, studying for his master’s degree with Richard Ayres, dr. Maya Verlaak, and Thanasis Deligiannis, he extensively researched the artistic potential of paradoxes.

 

His compositions have been performed in Lithuania, the Netherlands, Latvia, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Belgium, and the UK, at events and festivals like the Bruckner Casco Festival, Opera Forward Festival at the Dutch National Opera, and Thomas Mann Festival. Awards include the Lithuanian Composers Union’s Young Composers Award (2023) and 1st prize at Vox Juventutis Competition (2024). Jurgis is also active as a music publicist and concert/radio host. 

 

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EVENT INFORMATION

 

Date & Time: October 5, 2025, 6 PM

Venue: Church of St. Casimir

Address: Didžioji st. 28, Vilnius

 

Admission is free!

 

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ORGANISER

 

Centre for International Cultural Projects Lithuania

 

Contact: info@ipmc.lt / +370 52 496 171

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