A Dedication to Faustas Latėnas – Mettis String Quartet and pianist Vytis Šakūras

A Dedication to Faustas Latėnas

For the 70th anniversary of Faustas Latėnas: a dedication to the composer's chamber works by the Mettis String Quartet and pianist Vytis Šakūras

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the birth of a prominent figure in Lithuanian culture – composer Faustas Latėnas (1956–2020). In this concert dedicated to the occasion, the internationally acclaimed Mettis String Quartet and pianist Vytis Šakūras, known for his exceptional artistic intuition, will open up the subtle and sensitive world of Latėnas' chamber music.

The concert program will reveal the unique flow of the composer's musical thought, which encompasses both the principles of academic music and a theatrical, cinematic sense of musical language. His chamber music opuses will be performed: String Quartet No. 2 "In Loving Memory," Sonata for Cello and Piano, Sonata for Violin and Piano, "Bolero," and "Pasadoble" (arrangements for piano quintet by Tomas Petrikis).

Faustas Latėnas shared a close creative partnership with the Mettis Quartet – violist Tomas Petrikis not only performed the composer's works but also prepared arrangements and editions of them, and the quartet consistently fosters the dissemination of Latėnas' chamber music.

For over fourteen years, Mettis – Kostas Tumosa (violin), Bernardas Petrauskas (violin), Tomas Petrikis (viola), and Rokas Vaitkevičius (cello) – has been creating a distinctive style of quartet playing that combines precision, ingenuity, and mastery of chamber music. The symbolism of the ancient Greek goddess Metis hidden in their name – wisdom and resourcefulness – reflects the quartet's pursuit of constantly seeking new horizons of quality.

Pianist Vytis Šakūras' artistic career is reflected in his dynamic interpretation, passion for chamber music, and unique collaborations with acclaimed artists. International recognition earned from a young age has led the pianist to international festivals and concerts throughout Europe, and his chamber music partners attest to his exceptional artistic maturity.

This concert is a rare opportunity to hear Latėnas' chamber music performed by musicians who were themselves part of his creative journey.