Violin Concerto (2024)
Duration:
45′
Instrumentation:
Violin Solo
1 Piccolo, 1 Flute, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in Bb, 1 Bassoon, 1 Contrabassoon
3 Horns in F, 1 Piccolo Trumpet in Bb, 1 Trumpet in Bb, 1 Trombone, 1 Tuba
Percussion player I: Timpani (4), Percussions: Rain stick, thunder sheet, vibraslap, cymbal, triangle
Percussion player II: Drum Set: hi-hat, crash cymbal, cowbell, 2 woodblocks, hi tom, low tom, gong; Xylophone; Crotales
Percussion player III: Cymbal; Bass Drum (used by Payer II in Part II); Tubular Bells;
Harp
Piano (also Celesta in Part II)
Violin I (8 people), Violin II (6 people), Viola (4 people), Violoncello (4 people), Contrabass (2 people)
Programme Note
Writing a Violin Concerto has always been a lifelong dream of mine. As a violinist, I spent my early years immersed in the “standard” violin repertoire, playing through it extensively during my studies. The countless hours and years of practice have deeply ingrained these sounds into my mind and body, where they have stayed with me ever since.
When I began my journey as a composer, my dear violin remained a steadfast companion. Inherited from my father, it has traveled with me throughout my life—across Lithuania, during my international studies, and later to England, where I studied at the Royal Academy of Music and had the privilege of caring for precious instruments, including Stradivarius and Guarneri violins. Now it lives with me in Scotland, where we continue our journey around the globe together.
This concerto weaves together these life experiences, the iconic sounds of Sibelius, Mendelssohn, and Tchaikovsky’s violin concertos, and my own unique interests in ancient tribal music, its artifacts, and its meaning and power within ancient communities. It encompasses my journey as a composer toward maturity and reflects one of my key ambitions, both as a composer and as a human being: to make the world a better place. I aim to create a transformative experience for the audience—guiding them through the depths of pain and tranquility, and ultimately allowing them to emerge with a greater wisdom to carry into the world.
I am especially happy for my concerto to be premierred by Dalia Kuznecovaitė, who is not only an outstanding musician, but is also a daughter of my violin teacher Gintvilė Vitėnaitė. This project was produced by the Lithuanian Composers’ Union, funded by the Lithuanian Culture Council, and supported by AIR – Artist in Residence in Krems (Austria), the Arvo Pärt Centre (Estonia), and DAR Residency, co-produced by Gaida Festival and presented by the Lithuanian National Philharmonic.