On September 26, pianist Onutė Gražinytė and cellist Edward King return to Paliesius Manor!

The artists will present a highly personal and deeply cherished program, dedicated to marking the 90th anniversary of Arvo Pärt, one of the most renowned contemporary composers. Structured on the principle of a reflection, the program takes its title from one of his works: “Spiegel im Spiegel” (Mirror in the Mirror).

At the edges—two movements from French composer Olivier Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time.” This work is permeated by a profound energy, spirituality, and at times even ecstasy, having been born under extraordinary and tragic conditions while the composer was imprisoned in a labor camp in Görlitz (in present-day Germany). Juxtaposed against this are arguably the two most significant chamber works by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt: “Fratres” (Brothers) and “Spiegel im Spiegel”. The central piece is embraced by J. S. Bach’s Sonata in G Major for viola da gamba and Alfred Schnittke’s Cello Sonata No. 1. A vivid contrast emerges here between Bach’s music, deeply rooted in faith and portraying humanity’s striving toward the ideal and the divine, and Schnittke’s absolute realism, which confronts the listener directly, revealing a world seen as if through a shattered mirror. As the focal point at the heart of the program, we have chosen the ultimate contrast to music and sound itself—silence, embodied by John Cage’s “4’33”. We interpret this as a moment to quiet the mind and listen to how the music just experienced continues to resonate within.

Although the program features only two works by Arvo Pärt himself, all the remaining music opens up his spiritual and artistic universe: from Messiaen’s radiant spirituality and Bach’s architectural symmetry to Schnittke’s radical dualities and Cage’s attempt to hear the meaning of silence. Constructed as a palindrome—a mirror within a mirror—the program seems to come full circle, returning to itself and allowing the listener, through these juxtapositions, to experience or rediscover the genius of Arvo Pärt.

Born into a family of musicians in Vilnius, Lithuanian pianist Onutė Gražinytė began her piano studies at the age of five and was soon accepted into the prestigious National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art. She later continued her studies at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media (Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover) under Prof. Roland Krüger and at the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin (Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler), where she studied with Prof. Kirill Gerstein.

Onutė performs worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician. She has performed with ensembles such as the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, the Orchestre National de Lyon, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Sinfonieorchester Basel, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica, and others. She is invited to perform at festivals across Europe, including the Moravian Autumn festival and the KlavierOlymp in Bad Kissingen.

The pianist, who is equally at home performing classical and contemporary repertoire, is particularly interested in projects that explore the expressive possibilities of the piano. Her debut album “Lamentate”, featuring the music of Arvo Pärt performed alongside the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, received widespread acclaim from BBC Music Magazine, Pizzicato, and Diapason magazines. Pärt himself praised her, stating: “[She] is a pianist who, despite her young age, has already achieved extraordinary musical maturity. I appreciate her musical sensitivity in performing my works.”

Onutė Gražinytė actively performs in a duo with her husband, cellist Edward King, and is highly regarded for her creative programming and profound musical insights.

New Zealand-born cellist Edward King is a professor of cello at the Leopold Mozart College of Music at Augsburg University. The musician is a laureate of the XI Witold Lutosławski and the Markneukirchen International Cello Competitions, and was awarded a special prize presented by Krzysztof Penderecki himself for his interpretation of “Divertimento” at the Penderecki International Cello Competition.

After completing his studies with James Tennant, Prof. Julius Berger, and Prof. Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Edward King embarked on a multifaceted career as a performer, educator, and curator. Known for his versatility and a wide diversity of repertoire, he is drawn to projects that reinterpret the classical canon through historical, contemporary, and cross-genre perspectives. His first recording of Arvo Pärt’s “Fratres”, performed with Onutė Gražinytė, was praised by Gramophone Magazine: “This is one of the finest performances I have heard […]; it walks a fine line between delicacy and power.”

Edward King is also frequently invited to juries and artistic commissions. A passionate educator, he gives masterclasses and seminars worldwide, supporting music education initiatives in Italy, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, and indigenous communities in New Zealand.

He is the founder of the post-genre contemporary music sextet “hear now berlin” and a member of the “O/Modernt” chamber orchestra. The cellist plays a modern German cello, crafted in 2017 by Robert König.

For these artists, Paliesius Manor is more than just another concert hall—they have not only experienced many deeply meaningful performances here that remain close to their hearts, but it is also where they celebrated their wedding.