ČIURLIONIS AND KANCHELI – SYMBOLS OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN LITHUANIA AND GEORGIA THROUGH ART

Music once again unites Georgia and Lithuania. Audiences in Tbilisi and Vilnius can look forward to truly unforgettable concerts this year, held within the framework of cooperation among the Folklore and Ethnography Center of Lithuanian National Minorities, the Giya Kancheli Tbilisi Youth Orchestra, and the Georgian International Center “Dialogue of Cultures.” These creative connections are not merely musical events – they become genuine bridges of friendship between nations.

In the cold season, the musical light of Georgia will shine again in Lithuania – here, together with Lithuanian musicians, beloved artists radiating sincerity and talent will perform. Folklore ensembles „Shara“, „Shvidkaca“, and „Rero“, violinists David Akopian, Milena Džalalbekova, pianist Julia Lanke, as well as masters of ethnic vocal music Luka Mebonia, Arina Akopian, and Giorgi Shanava, will invite the audience to experience joy, warmth, and the living spirit of music together.

On the 22nd of November, 2025, at 19:00, a ceremonial concert will be held at the Georgian National Youth Palace, featuring the symphonic poem “DEDICATION TO ČIURLIONIS” by composer Jievaras Jasinskis. The piece was commissioned by the 20th International Festival “POKROV BELLS” and is dedicated to the 150th birth anniversary of the Lithuanian culture genius – Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis.

The concert will feature the Giya Kancheli Tbilisi Youth Orchestra (artistic director and conductor – Mirian Khukhunaishvili), Vilnius JJAZZ Ensemble (artistic director – Jievaras Jasinskis), as well as soloists from Lithuania and Georgia. Miniatures by the great Georgian composer Giya Kancheli, whose works have long been a symbol of spiritual depth and humanity, will also be performed.

The Folklore and Ethnography Center of Lithuanian National Minorities, as the organizer of the international festival “Pokrov Bells”, has inspired composers to create original works in the genre of World Music, based on folk motifs from various cultures for many years. Over the years, the festival has produced 15 musical opuses, which have been performed with consistent success at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society and prestigious concert halls across Europe. There are such notable works as “OLD FAITH” by Linas Rimša, “ORERO” by Jievaras Jasinskis, and “PERPETUUM” by Leonas Somovas among them. These compositions are already familiar to Tbilisi audiences: they were performed in the Grand Hall of the Tbilisi State Conservatoire by the ensembles SHARA (Tbilisi) and ARINUŠKA (Vilnius), together with the K. Vardeli String Quartet and the Symphony Orchestra of the Tbilisi Conservatoire.

The concert dedicated to the 150th anniversary of M. K. Čiurlionis will also coincide with another remarkable date – the 90th anniversary of Giya Kancheli’s birth. These two anniversaries unite geniuses, and along with them – the hearts of the people of our countries. We are confident that under the inspired direction of Maestro Mirian Khukhunaishvili, who recently triumphantly conducted the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra at the opening of the Vilnius Festival, the concert in Tbilisi will become a true celebration of art and will create unforgettable impressions for the audience.

This major cultural project has received support from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, the Embassy of Lithuania in Georgia, the Vilnius City Municipality, and the Department of National Minorities under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

The works of Čiurlionis and Kancheli, music where the Baltic meets the Caucasus, Lithuania meets Georgia – all of this resonates as a single symphony of spiritual closeness, inspiration, and eternal friendship.

Irena Zakharova

Director of the Folklore and Ethnography Center of Lithuanian National Minorities,

Head of the “Dialogue of Cultures” Program