À Paris: Gleb Pyšniak (cello), Lukas Geniušas (piano)

13th Festival "CHRISTMAS VILNIUS"

"À PARIS"

Gleb PYŠNIAK, cello

Lukas GENIUŠAS, piano

Program:

Lili BOULANGER – Three pieces for cello and piano (Trois pièces pour violoncelle et piano)

Claude DEBUSSY – Sonata for cello and piano in D minor, L. 135

César FRANCK – Sonata in A major, FWV 8, version for cello and piano

Paris is a city where new artistic movements were born at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, where the most prominent creators met, and where a unique French musical culture flourished. The "À Paris" concert program brings together three composers closely linked to Paris – César Franck, Claude Debussy, and Lili Boulanger – representing different generations of this musical tradition. From the subtle harmonies of Lili Boulanger's music and the impressionistic colors of Claude Debussy to the deep romanticism and dramatic expression of César Franck's sonata, the program reveals different portraits of the Parisian musical world. This journey through French music is presented to listeners by two internationally acclaimed Lithuanian performers – cellist Gleb Pyšniak and pianist Lukas Geniušas. The timbre of the cello's voice and the richness of the piano's colors will merge in a chamber dialogue, inviting you to transport yourself to Paris for a moment on a winter evening in Vilnius.

About the performers

GLEB PYŠNIAK – one of the most prominent Lithuanian cellists of his generation, valued for his expressive musicality, rich sound, and broad creative profile. At the age of fourteen, he debuted on the stage of the Lithuanian National Philharmonic with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Prof. Saulius Sondeckis. He studied at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, refined his skills in Vienna with the legendary cellist Prof. Natalia Gutman, and continued his chamber music studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

G. Pyšniak has performed in prestigious world venues, including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Vienna Musikverein, the Kennedy Center in Washington, the Helsinki Musiikkitalo, Casa da Música in Porto, the Quirinal Palace in Rome, and the Grand Salon des Invalides in Paris. As a soloist, he has collaborated with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonietta Riga, the Porto Symphony Orchestra, and other ensembles. The cellist is a laureate of international competitions, a winner of the Yamaha Music Award, and was awarded "The Holland Music Sessions" prize "New Master on Tour." Alongside his intense concert activity, G. Pyšniak teaches at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, initiates cultural projects, and serves as an artistic director of festivals.