“The five-year anniversary may seem like a small milestone at first glance, but for us, it is a very significant stage. During this time, the festival has not only grown but also gained a clear artistic identity and a loyal audience. It is very gratifying to see that the festival is widely appreciated throughout Lithuania. This year it will take place in as many as fifteen cities, with thirty-five concerts in the program. This shows that the festival has become an important part of Lithuania’s cultural life,” say the festival’s artistic directors Gleb Pyšniak and Dalia Dėdinskaitė.
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According to them, the fifth festival nurtures its traditions: “We believe that it is now possible to talk about an established tradition. The festival’s name is associated not only with the highest level of artistic quality but also with the preservation of memory, meaningful dialogue, and community spirit. Therefore, this five-year stage is not the finish line but a solid foundation for the festival’s further growth.”
Opening concert – premiere of a work by Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla and Žibuoklė Martinaitytė
This year’s festival program will bring together different eras, musical traditions, and generations of creators. Special attention will be given to the anniversaries of Joseph Achron and Jascha Heifetz, music by Pēteris Vasks will be performed, and one of the highlights of the festival’s closing concert will be a composition by Michael Gordon.
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla will conduct the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra at the festival’s opening concert. The concert is dedicated to the memory of conductor and teacher Romualdas Gražinis.
“One of the most important events is the world premiere of Žibuoklė Martinaitytė’s work ‘Šviesos adata’ (Needle of Light). This piece for violin, cello, and symphony orchestra was specially composed for the festival and will be performed at the opening concert,” emphasize D. Dėdinskaitė and G. Pyšniak.
There will be more premieres and musical discoveries at the festival. Violinist Dalia Dėdinskaitė, together with Swedish pianist Martin Sturfält, who will perform in Lithuania for the first time, will play Joseph Achron’s Violin Sonata, which has not yet been heard in our country. For the first time in Lithuania, listeners will also hear Osvaldo Golijov’s piece ‘Isaac’s Blind Dreams and Prayers,’ which blends Jewish musical traditions, klezmer music intonations, and contemporary musical language.
“I believe that premieres and new discoveries are one of the most important missions of the festival. We want not only to nurture the musical heritage but also to create new history, present previously unheard works to the audience, and give them the opportunity to experience exceptional musical events,” says D. Dėdinskaitė.
The boy from Lazdijai who became a world-renowned violinist
The festival is named after Joseph Achron, a violinist and composer born in Lazdijai. His life story and work serve as a starting point not only to bring the forgotten music of Achron back to concert halls but also to more broadly spread the message about the musical heritage of Lithuanian Jews, creators who left a significant mark in the history of world music.
“I think that today Joseph Achron has become not only a symbol of the festival but also of memory. His story reminds us of the extraordinarily rich cultural heritage we have in Lithuania and how many world-class artists have come from our region,” says G. Pyšniak.
According to them, the name Achron also allows telling the story of an entire generation of distinguished Litvak musicians and creators – Jascha Heifetz, Leopold Godowsky, Benny Goodman, and other world music figures connected to Lithuania.
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“This reminds us that Lithuania holds a much more important place in the history of world music than we sometimes realize,” emphasize the festival’s artistic directors.
This idea is also reflected in the festival’s chosen venues – many concerts take place in synagogues and other places that preserve historical memory.
“That is why memory at the festival is not just a historical narrative – it becomes a living experience. Many concerts take place in synagogues and other spaces that preserve historical memory and tell the story of this region themselves. The music performed there allows not only to hear wonderful works but also to rediscover the people who created them and the culture from which they originated,” explains G. Pyšniak.
35 concerts will be held not only in Lithuania’s major cities
Over five years, the festival has significantly expanded its geography. This year, 35 concerts will take place in fifteen cities, and the festival will cross Lithuania’s borders – two concerts will be held in Sejny, Poland.
“It is extremely important to us that the highest level of art is heard not only in Lithuania’s major cities. We believe that quality culture should be accessible to as wide an audience as possible, regardless of where people live,” say the festival’s artistic directors.
According to them, traveling around Lithuania, the festival discovers not only new concert venues but also new listeners – “People who may be attending a classical music concert for the first time or rediscovering the history of their region.”
The festival organizers emphasize that the program is not only for regular classical music lovers. This year, a special program about the boy Jascha Heifetz has been created for the whole family, inviting children and their parents to get to know one of the world’s most prominent violinists through storytelling, music, and imagination.
“We welcome everyone – both those who listen to classical music daily and those who are coming to a concert for the first time. We sincerely believe that music of the highest artistic level has the power to touch every person, regardless of their musical experience,” say G. Pyšniak and D. Dėdinskaitė.
The fifth International Joseph Achron Music Festival will take place from September 4 to October 25. More information here.
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