Between Paris and Lithuanian Forests | R. Juknevičiūtė (cello) and S. Poška (piano)

The programme Between Parisian Streets and Lithuanian Forests invites audiences into a vivid musical narrative that reveals the subtle yet contrasting parallels between Lithuanian and French music. The concert opens with Francis Poulenc’s Le Bal Masqué—a short, witty work in the spirit of the bagatelle, inviting listeners onto the streets of Paris and into a musical masquerade ball. The Preludes of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, arranged for cello and piano, lead us into the Lithuanian forest, unfolding through symbols, colours, and evocative imagery. The overall painterly atmosphere is further enhanced by Claude Debussy’s Sonata—an intimate, subtle, and expressive masterpiece of Impressionism.

From the ambiguous, recurring motifs of the piano emerges the most dramatic work of the programme: Anatolijus Šenderovas’s Two Songs of Shulamith, a composition rooted in Jewish musical intonations and motifs drawn from biblical mythology. The programme is further enriched by works by Nadia Boulanger and Frédéric Chopin’s Cello Sonata, which once again takes the listener to Paris while revealing a less frequently heard facet of Chopin—as a composer of chamber music.

As a duo, pianist Simonas Poška and cellist Rugilė Juknevičiūtė have performed at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Kaunas Philharmonic, Klaipėda Concert Hall, and Vilnius Town Hall. By creating thematic programmes and introducing them through live commentary, the performers establish a direct and engaging connection with their audiences.

The duo began performing together as teenagers. Now pursuing their studies in Paris and Zurich respectively, they return to Lithuania to perform together less frequently, making the opportunity to hear them live a particularly special one.