On Sunday, 28 July, fans of delicate classics will be delighted. Ilona Damašiūtė-Berres (piano, Canada) and the Kaunas String Quartet will open the doors of the 16th Music Festival WORLD VOICES 2024 by presenting masterpieces by R. Šumann and A. Dvořák.

 

This is the first time that the Kaunas String Quartet and I. Damašiūtė-Beres  have played together, and the performers have not hesitated for long in their choice of the works of the Western European Romantics, which are characterised by graceful, driving and dynamic harmonies. The Prologue programme includes Robert Schumann's Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47, and Czech composer Antonín Dvořák's Piano Quintet in A major, Op. Both works are among the most outstanding cycles of programmatic piano music, demanding exceptional professionalism, integrity of sound and a high level of professional mastery.

 

Ilona Damašiūtė-Beres, who graduated in piano in Lithuania, continues her artistic activity in Canada. "Schumann's work is very close to my heart in its romanticism, warmth and extraordinary musical imagination". She has given solo concerts in Europe, the USA and Canada, and has been Artistic Director of the Humbercrest Concert Studio and Artistic Director of the Village Rhapsody concert series. Currently, I. Damašiūtė-Beres is the director of a private piano studio in Toronto.

 

The Kaunas String Quartet is one of the most important classical music ensembles in Kaunas. During the 43 years of its existence, the ensemble has performed over 2700 concerts in Lithuania and has represented the high culture of Lithuanian chamber music abroad (Finland, Norway, Poland, the UK, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, etc.)

The Quartet has accumulated more than 500 works in its repertoire, and has performed many premieres of works by Lithuanian composers, and especially by composers from Kaunas, with whom the Quartet has been collaborating for many years. In 2008, the Quartet was awarded the "Tikra muzika" award of the year for the promotion of contemporary music, in 2009, the ensemble was named the "Most Memorable Creative Collective of Kaunas" for the promotion of Lithuanian composers' music in Lithuania and abroad, and in 2012, the ensemble was named the "The Most Memorable Creative Collective of Kaunas" for the promotion of Lithuanian music in Lithuania and abroad.

 

Tickets - from EUR 15, 20.

Tickets can be purchased in the system "Bilietai LT" and in the Palanga Kurhaus one hour before the start of the event.