CLARINET CHARMS. A concert dedicated to the 100th anniversary of President Valdas Adamkus.

Performers: Kaunas city symphony orchestra Chief Conductor Constantine Orbelian (USA), Manager Algimantas Treikauskas

Soloist HAKAN ROSENGREN (clarinet, Sweden) Conductor MARKUS HUBER (Germany)

Program: Eduardas Balsys – "Folk Dance" from the ballet "Eglė - Queen of Serpents" Carl Maria von Weber – Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra Johannes Brahms – Symphony No. 4 in E minor (Op. 98)

This evening's concert is a special musical dedication to President Valdas Adamkus, who celebrates his honorable 100th birthday on November 3rd. The life path of the President, born in Kaunas, his love for Lithuania, and his contribution to the country's modernization have become an inseparable part of our state's history.

At the beginning of the concert, in honor of the President, Eduardas Balsys' "Folk Dance" from the ballet "Eglė – Queen of Serpents" will be performed – a vibrant, energetic piece full of Lithuanian musical identity. It is a symbolic musical tribute to a man whose life has repeatedly connected Lithuania with the world.

Next, the evening will immerse itself in the world of 19th-century European Romanticism. The Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by a long-time friend of the ensemble, the German conductor Markus Huber, already familiar to Lithuanian classical music lovers, and the clarinet solo part will be performed by the virtuoso Håkan Rosengren, arriving from Sweden.

At the center of the evening is one of the most charming works for clarinet from the Romantic era – Carl Maria von Weber's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra. In Weber's music, the clarinet reveals all its colorfulness: from soft, singing lyricism to brilliant virtuosity and spirited temperament. This piece is a true test for the soloist and, at the same time, a great opportunity for listeners to hear how many emotions a single instrument can convey.

This challenge will be accepted by Håkan Rosengren, who is distinguished by his exceptional musical sensitivity and virtuosity. In his interpretation, Weber's music promises to reveal all the colors of the clarinet – elegant, enchanting, and temperamental.

In the second part of the concert, Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98, will be performed – the composer's last symphony and one of his most mature works. It is deep, dramatic, and emotion-filled music, where Romantic sentimentality merges with impeccable musical architecture. Brahms' Fourth draws the listener in from the very first bars and leads them along an increasingly intense path to a dramatic finale.