"Čiurlionis and Debussy" is a subtle musical journey where the Mettis String Quartet and harpist Liucilė Vilimaitė will reveal the beauty of Lithuanian and European musical traditions.

The 13th International Čiurlionis Festival invites you to a unique opportunity to hear a string quartet and a harp united on one stage. The Mettis String Quartet is one of the most prominent Lithuanian chamber music ensembles, winner of international awards, and Liucilė Vilimaitė is one of the most talented harpists of the young generation, actively performing in prestigious European venues and festivals.

The programme "Čiurlionis and Debussy" invites the audience to immerse themselves into a deep emotional and cultural world. Čiurlionis' String Quartet reveals the deep creative heritage of the Lithuanian spirit and nation, while Claude Debussy's works - String Quartet in G minor and Sacred and Secular Dances - embody the lightness and sophistication of French Impressionism. The programme is rounded off by Arnold Bax's Quintet for Harp and String Quartet, whose romantic expressiveness and rich texture reveal the colours of British music.

PROGRAM:

Mikalojus Konstantinas ČIURLIONIS (1875-1911)

String Quartet in C minor, VL 83

Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)

String Quartet in G minor, op. 10

Danse sacrée et danse profane

for harp and strings

Arnold BAX (1883-1953)

Quintet for Harp and Strings GP 214

About the Artists:

The Mettis String Quartet is one of the most prominent Lithuanian chamber ensembles, founded in 2012 at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. The quartet was later trained at the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA), where it participated with the world's best teachers.

The quartet is the 2nd prize winner of the 8th International Bordeaux String Quartet Competition (France) and the winner of the 9th International V.E.Rimbotti String Quartet Competition (Italy).

Mettis has performed in prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall (London), Konzerthaus (Berlin), Laeiszhalle (Hamburg), Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisbon), Washington Gallery of Arts (Washington, DC), Tel Aviv Museum of Art (Israel), YMCA (Jerusalem), Hotel Invalides (Paris), and has also participated in prominent festivals: Montpellier Radio France, Aix-en-Provence, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Luberon, Vilnius and others.

In 2015 the quartet released its first CD album. In 2017, Mettis toured China and in 2018 debuted in Israel, Panama, USA and Canada. In 2019, the quartet toured China and released a collaborative album with pianist Mūza Rubackytė, and in 2020 the quartet will present its latest CD with works by L. van Beethoven.

The quartet is known not only for its brilliant technique, but also for its creative interpretations that fuse tradition and innovation.

More about Mettis Quartet: www.mettisquartet.com

Liucilė U. Vilimaitė is a harpist and composer with an interest in non-traditional ways of performing music. She began her musical career at the Balys Dvarionas Music School in Vilnius, and later studied at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, where she completed her Master's degree in 2022. Lucille has performed in Lithuania and abroad, with the Klaipėda, St. Christopher's and Vilnius University orchestras, and has toured the Netherlands and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Southern Netherlands. In 2021 she performed a new work by Algirdas Martinaitis, and in 2023 she gave the world premiere of Meredith Monk's Indra's Net.

Lucilė is a laureate of numerous competitions, including three times winning the B. Dvarionas National Competition for Young Performers, and in 2013 she was the overall winner of the International Music Competition in Italy. In 2018-2019, her compositions were performed in Lithuania and the Netherlands. She has also taken part in the World Harp Congress and the Britten-Pears Young Performers and Composers Programme. In 2014, Liucile was awarded a certificate of appreciation for her musical achievements by the President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė.

For more information about Liucile U. Vilimaitė: www.liucilevilimaite.com

The XVIII International M. K. Čiurlionis Music Festival is part of the jubilee programme "Čiurlionis 150".

The festival is organized by the public institution "Klasika LT"

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