Saturday, May 31, 6 pm, at the Vilnius University (VU) Church of St. John's the concert "Čiurlionis' Organ Spring" will take place, performed by the organ studio "Unda Maris". The concert is dedicated to celebrate the year of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, but the event will feature not only organ works by this Lithuanian genius, but also music by J. S. Bach, D. Zipoli, H. Purcell, and other composers.

The concert programme will focus on the music of M. K. Čiurlionis, which is of particular importance to all "Unda Maris" members. According to Dr Vidas Pinkevičius, the head of the organ studio, it is clear why Čiurlionis is considered the genius of the Lithuanian nation - because everyone who touches the composer's work cannot remain indifferent. The dissemination of his artistic, musical, and literary legacy throughout the world is particularly relevant this year. "I try to include his organ works in almost all of my concert programmes," says Pinkevičius.

Dr Aušra Motūzaitė-Pinkevičienė, organist of the "Unda Maris" studio, adds: "I am very happy that the members of our studio are playing the music of Čiurlionis. As a graduate of the M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art myself, I was brought up surrounded by the composer's music, paintings, and thoughts about art. The spirit of Čiurlionis is very dear to me."

Each member of the studio prepares selected works by M. K. Čiurlionis for the concert. Regina Dainytė has chosen "Canon in d-moll". "It's great played on the organ - the same melody is played alternately with the right and left hand, only an octave lower. But what I like most about this piece is the continuous legato", Regina introduces her performance. Vytautas Jonkus has chosen to play two fugues in the concert and notes that it is particularly lovely to hear the harmonies of Lithuanian folk songs in Čiurlionis' works.

Benas Matuzevičius, a member of the organ studio, plays the fugue "Kyrie eleison". "Although it does not contain any recognisable folk music motifs, the 2 themes of the fugue play beautifully in the dense choral texture", Benas speaks imaginatively about his performance of the piece. Jonathan Beyer, a member of "Unda Maris", will perform the Canon in A-dur. According to him, Čiurlionis' music impresses him with its calmness and melancholy: "You can really calm down when listening to this piece. The canon is solemn and there is not one note too many", says Jonathan.

The Vilnius University organ studio "Unda Maris" is a unique collective of members of the Vilnius University community who are interested in the art of the organ. Since 2011, the studio has been inviting people to get to know this complex but very rich instrument. The organ studio is curated by well-known organists Dr Vidas Pinkevičius and Dr Aušra Motūzaitė-Pinkevičienė, who are actively involved in the development of the organ community in Lithuania and abroad.

The name of the studio "Unda Maris" (Latin for sea wave) symbolises the gentle and rhythmic sound of the organ. The organ in the Church of St. John's is the largest in Lithuania, built by the Vilnius organ workshop between 1983 and 2000, and renovated in 2024 by the masters of the Ugale organ workshop from Latvia.

The concert "Čiurlionis' Organ Spring" by the organ studio "Unda Maris" is organised by the VU Culture Centre.

Source: HERE

Čiurlionis' Organ Spring

Čiurlionis' Organ Spring

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