PRESS RELEASE - August 30, 2022
Members of the acclaimed ensemble, The American Virtuosi, were invited as featured guests of the Alytus (2022 Cultural Capital of Lithuania) summer festivities. From August 23-28, 2022, they served as musical ambassadors through concerts as well as their work with young Lithuanian musicians in masterclasses, workshops, rehearsals, and collaborative performances.
Lauded as “American Virtuosi” by international media during their tours spanning over 35 countries, this family ensemble consisting of siblings Emmanuel Borowsky (violin), Frances Borowsky (cello), and Elizabeth Borowsky (piano) has been praised for taking their top-notch classical performances not only to renowned venues but also to audiences far off the beaten path. Their passionate musical performances have been celebrated as transformative experiences that reach the emotional core of listeners.
“At the final concert of the 2022 Veliuona Summer Music Festival, youth of two countries and two continents performed music together, sending a message of peace to the world. The concert was titled, “Music: the Best Bridge For All People,” and presented by the American Virtuosi/Borowsky from the USA together with the Alytus Svajone Orchestra. Not a single person in the audience was left unmoved.”
“I was fascinated and moved to tears. This was truly an amazing concert. Thank you.
Virginija Valatkienė, audience”
“
This was a performance of the highest level, with great technique, and on top of it all: a humanitarian perspective. So much emotion! They even performed Lithuanian music! Maybe they have Lithuanian blood in their genes?!”
In addition to the musical performances, Dr. Charles Borowsky, father to the three musicians and a successful sociologist who has used music as a tool in international relations, offered lectures on “Music in the Age of Globalization” and “Music: The Best Bridge for All People.”
Highlights included:
Diplomatic meetings with government officials including the Deputy Mayor of Alytus (Ms. Jurgita Šukevičienė)
Meetings with representatives of Lithuanian educational and social programs, including Ms. Gabriele Dambauskaite, Director of the Alytus School of Music
Interview with Liudas Ramanauskas on Radio Stotis, FM99 in Alytus
Masterclasses for students from the Alytus School of Music, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, and Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
Rehearsals and performances with Orchestra Svajone, directed by Ms. Daiva Martikonyte and conducted by Maestro Vytautas Kiminius
Performances at the Alytus Cultural Center, Alytus Synagogue, and Veliuona Summer Music Festival
The American Virtuosi performed works by known classical composers but also incorporated works by Lithuanian composers Balys Dvarionas and Giedrius Kuprevičius.
They also performed several of their original programmatic compositions: Martin’s Journey, HARDY, and In Memoriam.
In Memoriam was composed by Elizabeth, Emmanuel, and Frances Borowsky and first premiered in Kaunas, Lithuania on June 14, 2013 - a national holiday called, "The Day of Mourning and Hope" - at the foremost Lithuanian music festival, under the patronage of the President of Lithuania. It was then performed throughout Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia. This composition, which includes arrangements of symbolic songs associated with the history of Lithuania in the 20th century, was acknowledged as an expressive and powerful work.
Perhaps due to Lithuania's relatively recent independence (March 11, 1990), the currently fragile relationships with neighbors nations (Belarus and Russia), and current events in Ukraine, the American Virtuosi's performances clearly struck a chord, as audiences spontaneously stood up, holding hands and singing along to the melody “Wake Up Baltics” that was incorporated into the third movement of In Memoriam, symbolizing a cry for freedom, peace, and unity.
At the conclusion the final performance in the Alutus Cultural Center, The American Virtuosi joined Orchestra Svajone in a side-by-side performance of the Allegretto from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, as well as “Wild Dances” by Ukrainian singer, Eurovision and World Music Award winning artist, Ruslana (see video excerpt HERE). This cooperation was the capstone on a week of intense musical and personal collaborations.
“The entire symphony is very happy to have met you and experienced the best week in their life!!!
When we played together, we felt powerful and in fact, invincible!”
Gabija Gudeliauskaite, violinist in Alytus Svajone Orchestra
“I definitely hope that we’ll get to play with you all again, because it was an amazing experience and definitely one of the best weeks of my life!
Aušra Kazakevičiūtė, violinist in Alytus Svajone Orchestra
“We will hold impressions of these powerful concerts and brilliant performers for a long time. We don’t want to go back to normal life.”
Daiva Martikonytė, Director of Alytus Svajone Orchestra
Videos:
Frances Borowsky performs Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei at the Vasaros Music Festival
Frances Borowsky performs Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei at the Alytus Cultural Center
Elizabeth Borowsky performs Frederic Chopin's Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op. 22 at the Vasaros Music Festival
Elizabeth Borowsky performs Frederic Chopin's Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op. 22 at Alytus Cultural Center
