CONCERT PROGRAMME
L. van Beethoven. Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano in C major, Op. 56
B. Smetana. Symphonic poem cycle “My Homeland” (I. Vyšehrad, II. Vltava, III. Šárka, VI. Blaník)
The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra (artistic director and chief conductor Gintaras Rinkevičius) together with one of the most famous Lithuanian instrumentalists – violinist Dainius Puodžiukas, cellist Povilas Jacunskas and pianist Aidas Puodžiukas – invites you to hear Ludwig van Beethoven's (1770-1827) Triple Concerto for violin, cello and piano. At the end of the 18th century, such instrumentation of a piano trio was very popular in the context of chamber music. However, L. van Beethoven did something unexpected: he gave this trio the role of a soloist within the genre of a symphonic concert, which no famous composer before or after him had done.
In the second part of the concert, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra will perform the cycle of symphonic poems "My Homeland" (Czech: "Má vlast") by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884). This is one of the most famous works of B. Smetana (who was considered to be the father of Czech music), written when the composer was already completely deaf. "My Homeland" is like a composer's love letter to his homeland, a symphonic picture depicting the landscape, history and myths of his native Bohemia through musical sounds.
On this evening's musical journey, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by one of today's most outstanding conductors, Charles Olivieri-Munroe, who has conducted the Israel Philharmonic, Montreal, Toronto, Sydney, Munich and many other famous symphony orchestras. Born in Malta and raised in Canada, the conductor studied at the Royal Canadian Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto. After 16 years of leading the North Czech Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, in 2015 Ch. Olivieri-Munroe became Artistic Director of the Krakow Philharmonic (Poland) and Principal Guest Conductor of the Thuringian Symphony Orchestra (Germany).