The Fifth Alexander Paley Music Marathon “Rarities” at Paliesius Manor

Day I (August 26)

11:00 | Morning concert – 20 €
14:30 | Afternoon concert – 25 €
19:00 | Evening concert – SOLD OUT

Day II (August 27)

11:00 | Morning concert – 20 €
14:30 | Afternoon concert – 25 €
19:00 | Final concert – 30/40/50 €

World-class piano virtuoso Alexander Paley presents his fifth music marathon to the Paliesius Manor audience! The theme of this year’s music marathon is “Rarities.”

For two days, Paliesius Manor will resonate with world-class yet rarely heard music—Alexander Paley vows that 99% of these works have never before been performed in Lithuania. This carefully curated program, spanning different composers and eras, will be brought to life by 13 talented musicians from Lithuania and abroad.

According to Alexander Paley, this festival is a tribute to Anton Rubinstein, one of the finest pianists and composers of the 19th century, who was born in Paley’s homeland of Moldova and remains a source of immense national pride. It is also a dedication to Paley’s first piano teacher, E. Revzo. During her own studies at the Milan Conservatory, the eminent Italian composer Riccardo Pick-Mangiagalli served as the institution’s director.

Paley jokes that the idea for the marathon was born not from a whim to show off his ability to play the piano for hours on end, but from a deep desire to gather both performers and listeners to simply revel in an abundance of music. Thus, we invite you on a journey into the mysterious world of music, set amidst the wild nature of Paliesius Manor, where more musical secrets will unfold than ever before…

The fiery piano virtuoso Alexander Paley leaves no one indifferent to his talent and charisma. Audiences give him standing ovations, while critics spare no praise. His dream of playing the piano was born in early childhood, as the young pianist eagerly awaited his first chance to touch the keys of a “Belarus” upright piano.

Recognized with numerous world-class awards, the pianist has performed and is always warmly welcomed at the most prestigious concert halls and festivals. This extensive list includes “Radio France”, “Theatre des Champs-Elysees”, “Salle Pleyel”, and “Salle Gaveau” (Paris), “Grands Interprètes” (Lyon), the Lille Piano Festival, the Besançon Opera Theatre, “Leipzig Gewandhaus”, the “Concertgebouw” (Amsterdam), the “Laeiszhalle” (Hamburg), as well as concert venues across China and beyond.

Over the years, Alexander Paley’s star has never faded—dividing his time between New York, Paris, and Vilnius, the pianist performs around 80 concerts worldwide each year.

World-renowned violinist Amiram Ganz began his career at just 11 years of age. He is a laureate of international competitions, a member of the successful Altenberg Trio Wien, and is always welcomed on major stages. Amiram Ganz plays a violin crafted in Italy by Goffredo Cappa in 1690.

In 1993, under a creative cooperation agreement between Lithuania and Venezuela, violinist Raimondas Butvila relocated to this South American country. In Caracas, he served as the Musical Director of the Emil Friedman College and as a professor at the Experimental University of the Arts (UNEARTE), training several generations of professional musicians over 18 years. As a soloist, he frequently performed with Venezuelan orchestras, interpreting the core violin concerto repertoire. He also performed extensive chamber music and was a member of the Trio Academico Emil Friedman.

In 2011, he returned to Lithuania, where he is currently a professor and the Head of the String Instruments Department at the Vytautas Magnus University Music Academy.

Since 2013, he has developed a highly active artistic collaboration with his former classmate in Moscow, the world-renowned piano virtuoso Alexander Paley. This partnership has led to philharmonic recitals in Lithuania and a concert with the VMU Chamber Orchestra, featuring performances of violin and keyboard concertos by J. Haydn and F. Mendelssohn. Since 2016, Raimondas Butvila has participated in the annual festival organized by Alexander Paley in Moulin d’Andé, France.

Paleasis Ensemble: Kristijonas Pūtys (violin), Tomas Savickas (viola), Rokas Vaitkevičius (cello), Dainius Rudvalis (double bass), Marius Dominykas Sakavičius (cello), Vytenis Gurstis (flute), Ugnius Dičiūnas (oboe), Karolis Kolakauskas (clarinet), Andrius Puplauskis (bassoon), Gediminas Abaris (French horn).

The Paleasis Ensemble was formed in 2022 on the initiative of the internationally acclaimed and charismatic piano virtuoso Alexander Paley. “An ensemble that is not a one-day project, but one that regularly rehearses, performs, and grows together—this has been a long-held dream of mine. I am thrilled to have realized this dream right here in Lithuania. I have gathered ten professional musicians, kindred spirits, with the goal of performing well-known, rarely played, or newly composed classical music masterpieces on stage,” the virtuoso remarks regarding the ensemble’s origins.

Paleasis performs actively throughout Lithuania, and within just one year, has become well-known and beloved beyond the major cities. In March 2023, the ensemble embarked on its first tour to the pianist’s native Moldova, performing at the Chișinău Philharmonic, where they were highly praised by both audiences and critics, who called the concert “undeniably spectacular, leaving unforgettable impressions.” The ensemble is currently in intensive preparation for its introduction to French audiences. The ensemble’s members are musicians handpicked by Paley himself, based on the highest artistic criteria, drawn from the Lithuanian National and State Symphony Orchestras, the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, and the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra.

Kristijonas Pūtys, a talented Lithuanian violinist, has already achieved great success in the field of classical music. By winning first place in the National A. Livontas String Instrument Competition (2021) and the International Lithuanian Composers’ Chamber Music Competition (2021), Kristijonas has clearly proven his artistic abilities and mastery.

He has showcased his talent as a soloist with the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra and the LMTA Symphony Orchestra, with whom he performed at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic. Furthermore, he participated in the prestigious “Baltic Roots” project at the Berlin Philharmonie, playing in a specially formed chamber orchestra alongside students of the Karajan Academy, and had the opportunity to refine his skills with members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Among his most significant achievements is the Grand Prix award at the international “Baltic Strings” competition.

Violist Tomas Savickas studied at the J. Naujalis Music Gymnasium and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (in the viola class of Prof. Petras Radzevičius), receiving his master’s degree in 2005. He combined his studies in Lithuania with studies at the Paris National Conservatory of Music and Dance (in the class of Prof. Pierre-Henri Xuereb). He is a laureate of national string and chamber music competitions and has performed as a soloist with the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra. As a member of the “Sensus” Quartet and the Christopher String Quartet, Tomas Savickas has given concerts in various cities around the world (Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Riga, Tallinn, Bordeaux, and more) and participated in numerous festivals (including “Praha – Viena – Budapest”, the Villecroze Academy, and the Christopher Summer Festival).

Tomas Savickas is frequently invited to lead viola masterclasses (in Tallinn, Vigo, Klaipėda, and at the LMTA). His students include laureates of national and international string competitions. Tomas Savickas often serves as a jury member for various competitions. Since 2006, he has been the principal violist of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre (LNOBT) orchestra.

Cellist Rokas Vaitkevičius is a founding member of the “Mettis” string quartet—one of Lithuania’s most prominent contemporary ensembles—a co-founder of the rapidly rising cello ensemble “Cello Club,” the principal cellist of the LNOBT orchestra, and a lecturer at the Chamber Ensemble and String Instruments departments of the LMTA. He studied at the J. Naujalis Music Gymnasium (in the class of expert teacher K. V. Petrauskas), the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (in the classes of Prof. R. Armonas and Prof. A. Vasiliauskas), and the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA). Rokas regularly hones his skills with elite chamber music instructors Hatto Beyerle and Johannes Meissl. The cellist has performed solos with the Kaunas Symphony, Lithuanian Chamber, and Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre Symphony Orchestras. In May 2017, at the first International Klaipėda Cello Competition, he won third place, a special prize for his performance of a work by Anatolijus Šenderovas, and the audience favorite award, performing in prestigious halls.

With the “Mettis” quartet, he won 2nd place and a special prize at the prestigious Bordeaux String Quartet Competition in 2016, as well as 1st place at the V. Rimbotti Quartet Competition in Florence. In 2017, the “Mettis” quartet toured China, and in November–December 2018, made its debut in Israel, Panama, the USA, and Canada. In late 2019, he released a joint CD with the “Mettis” quartet and Mūza Rubackytė. In early 2022, the “Mettis” quartet released a new album featuring works by L. van Beethoven. The quartet has performed in renowned halls across the globe and participated in numerous festivals.

Double bassist Dainius Rudvalis completed his master’s studies at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in the double bass class of Assoc. Prof. V. Sereika and the chamber ensemble class of Prof. D. Balsytė. He later continued his studies at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts (Brno, Czech Republic) in the double bass class of Prof. M. Jelinek, and participated in masterclasses with numerous instructors, including W. Grzegorz, P. Iuga, K. Trumpf, G. Upatnieks, T. Martin, and others. Dainius Rudvalis is a diplomate and laureate of international double bass competitions.

He is constantly invited to perform with various ensembles and actively participates in a wide array of musical projects. As a soloist and participant in concert programs, Dainius Rudvalis has performed with various orchestras and had the opportunity to work with renowned conductors and soloists, including D. Geringas, G. Kremer, Y. Bashmet, M. Maisky, among others. For several years, he collaborated with the Grammy Award-winning chamber orchestra “Kremerata Baltica,” performing as the section’s principal double bass. He has recorded a CD of M. Weinberg’s music and engaged in chamber music projects with members of this orchestra. As a member of diverse chamber ensembles, the double bassist has performed and taken part in festivals across many countries. Until 2011, Dainius Rudvalis served as the associate principal double bass of the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra. Currently, he is the principal double bass of the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, a member of the Kaunas Symphony Orchestra, a music educator, and a member of both the Paleasis Ensemble and the “BASS_4” double bass quartet.

Cellist Marius Dominykas Sakavičius was born in 1994. He completed his cello studies at the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art in the class of teacher Romanas Armonas. He also earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in performing arts (cello) at the VMU Music Academy in the class of Assoc. Prof. Ramutė Kalnėnaitė.

He has participated in and won laurels at various national and international masterclasses and competitions, performing as a soloist with numerous orchestras. The young cellist is also a member of the newly formed piano trio “Vytautas Magnus Trio,” and he actively engages in contemporary art projects, collaborating with the contemporary dance performers and creators of the “Šeiko Dance Company.” His music has graced stages not only in Lithuania but also in Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Portugal, Denmark, Israel, and Great Britain.

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