“ČIURLIONIS AND DEBUSSY” | METTIS AND LIUCILĖ VILIMAITĖ

Joining forces for this special concert programme, these audience favourites and critically acclaimed performers will offer Vilnius listeners an evening infused with Romantic sensitivity and music of exceptional beauty. Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis’ String Quartet in C minor is imbued with a distinctly Lithuanian spirit and the fundamental creative heritage of the nation, while Claude Debussy’s String Quartet in G minor and Danse sacrée et danse profane embody the lightness, colour and refinement of French Impressionism. The programme will also feature Arnold Bax’s Quintet for Harp and Strings, rich in Romantic expression and sumptuous texture, adding the distinctive colours of British music to the evening.

A B O U T   T H E     P E R F O R M E R S:

Mettis is a concept from Greek mythology associated with wisdom, resourcefulness and skill. Its name also gave rise to a common term referring to ingenuity and mastery founded on quality.

It is therefore no coincidence that one of Lithuania’s youngest yet most prominent string quartets chose this name. Its four musicians – violinists Kostas Tumosa and Bernardas Petrauskas, violist Tomas Petrikis, and cellist Rokas Vaitkevičius – embody these qualities with distinction.

Another defining feature of the quartet is its constant pursuit of artistic growth: participation in international masterclasses and further study with leading professionals from around the world. Combined with prize-winning performances at prestigious chamber music competitions, this has established Mettis among Lithuania’s leading classical music ensembles.

More about the Mettis String Quartet:
www.mettisquartet.com

Harpist Liucilė U. Vilimaitė studied at the Balys Dvarionas Ten-Year Music School in Vilnius and at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. She has performed in concert halls in Lithuania and the Netherlands and has appeared with the Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra, St Christopher Chamber Orchestra and Vilnius University Chamber Orchestra.

In 2010, Liucilė U. Vilimaitė received a diploma at the National Balys Dvarionas Competition for Young Performers, and in 2012, 2014 and 2016 she became a laureate of the same competition. In 2010, she won Third Prize in the junior category at the 2nd International Harp Competition in Szeged, Hungary. In 2013, she won First Prize at the 5th International Music Competition Città di Filadelfia – Premio Speciale “Paolo Serrao” in Italy and was also awarded the Vincitore Assoluto diploma as the overall winner.

The young harpist is also an active composer, and her works have received a number of awards.

She also performs regularly with the international harp sextet Harp Sirens, founded in 2019 and dedicated to contemporary music written especially for the ensemble. In September 2020, the group made its debut at Gaudeamus, one of the Netherlands’ leading festivals of contemporary classical music. In 2021, the sextet performed at the Dutch Harp Festival in Utrecht, where Liucilė’s composition for six harps, Lost in Time, was also performed.

In recognition of her musical achievements and contribution to promoting Lithuania internationally, Liucilė U. Vilimaitė received a letter of appreciation from the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, in 2014.

More about Liucilė U. Vilimaitė:
www.liucilevilimaite.com