The Čiurlionis Quartet family. For the 80th birthday of Saulius Lipčius

Performers: ČIURLIONIS QUARTET GUODA GEDVILAITĖ (piano) SAULIUS S. LIPČIUS (guitar) TEODORAS LIPČIUS (cello)

Program: ROBERT SCHUMANN – String Quartet, Op. 41 No. 1 in A minor TEODORAS LIPČIUS – "Theater Stories" for string quartet (2026, premiere) DIANA ČEMERYTĖ – "In the Prickly Grass Stands a Lonely Picasso" for guitar and cello ENRIQUE GRANADOS – "Andaluza" from the cycle "Danzas españolas" (Saulius S. Lipčius' version for guitar and cello) MIKALOJUS KONSTANTINAS ČIURLIONIS – Prelude, VL 239 (arranged by Juozas Čelkauskas for cello and piano) GIROLAMO FRESCOBALDI – Toccata (arranged by Gaspar Cassadó for cello and piano) FLORENCE PRICE – Piano Quintet in A minor

The Čiurlionis Quartet and distinguished stage colleagues – pianist Guoda Gedvilaitė, guitarist Saulius S. Lipčius – as well as young cellist Teodoras Lipčius present a wonderful anniversary gift to the quartet's long-time cellist Saulius Lipčius, who is celebrating his 80th birthday. The program will feature the finest examples of chamber music – from the Romantics to the premiere of a work by young composer Teodoras Lipčius – this time colored by arrangements for the interplay of guitar, cello, and piano timbres.

Formed in 1968, the Čiurlionis Quartet was one of the first to be awarded the Lithuanian National Prize for Culture and Arts in 1990. Since its inception, the quartet has featured cellist Saulius Lipčius, who is celebrating his 80th birthday this year. With this ensemble, S. Lipčius has performed on the world's most important stages from Iceland to Japan and China, from Great Britain to the USA, and has repeatedly participated in prestigious festivals such as "Prague Spring," Schleswig-Holstein, "Europamusikale," "Amadeo" in Zagreb, St. Magnus in Great Britain, and others. The jubilarian has said that he dedicated his entire creative life to the quartet and is happy that he was able to work among like-minded people for many decades.

In 2016, cellist Saulius Lipčius was awarded the Ministry of Culture's Badge of Honor "Carry Your Light and Believe" for his significant contribution and special merits to Lithuanian culture and art, for initiatives inspiring the community to positive action, and for personal responsibility in creating a cultural and spiritual environment. In 2004, the cellist was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great.

The tradition of the third generation of the Saulius Lipčius musical dynasty is continued by his son Saulius S. Lipčius and grandchildren, among whom Teodoras is building perhaps the most prominent stage biography: he is a student at the M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art, playing the cello, composing music, singing, acting in theater and opera productions, and having appeared in several films.