August at Paliesius Manor: Classical, Jazz, and Improvisations

The Pēteris Vasks Quartet arrives at the manor—a special project created for the composer’s 80th birthday in 2026, uniting four magnificent Latvian musicians who perform in Latvia and throughout Europe. Violinist Magdalēna Geka is a laureate of the Parkhouse Award in London, the International Marschner Competition in Germany, as well as the Pro Musicis and Académie des Beaux-Arts awards in Paris. Kristaps Bergs is not only a performing artist but a seeker; he has served as principal cellist for the Oslo Philharmonic and the London Philharmonic, collaborating extensively with contemporary composers. Egīls Šēfers is one of Latvia’s best-known clarinetists, a soloist who performs even the most complex parts with unbelievable ease, recognized for his high technical mastery and meticulous artistry. Pianist Iveta Calite is a dedicated chamber musician and soloist who has performed in numerous countries and recorded multiple albums.

The concert at Paliesius Manor will feature Olivier Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time,” an eight-movement masterpiece of 20th-century chamber music that inspired P. Vasks’s piano trio “Episodi e Canto Perpetuo,” which will also be performed, alongside Arvo Pärt’s work “Fratres”.

Viktoras Paukštelis and Vladimiras Tarasovas return to Paliesius Manor with a new collaborative project. The duo previously deconstructed the Baroque era, and their new program awaits with the music of Chopin. The manor’s historical instruments—the organ and the harpsichord—will also resonate through the hall.

Vladimiras Tarasovas is a world-renowned drummer, inventive percussionist, composer, and visual artist. He masters a multitude of musical styles, though his primary passions lie in free jazz and improvisational music. Alongside the GTČ trio, V. Tarasovas laid the foundations for the Lithuanian school of jazz, performed with global luminaries of improvisational music, and was one of the first in Europe to play solo percussion programs. Pianist Viktoras Paukštelis has graced such prestigious stages as New York’s Carnegie Hall, Vienna’s Musikverein, and the Berlin Philharmonic, while participating in countless international festivals. He has released four compact discs featuring works by J. S. Bach, C. Franck, R. Schumann, and other composers.

World-renowned French pianist Jean-Marc Luisada will perform, this time inviting listeners into a world of fantasies and nocturnes. The program features works by Joseph Haydn, Frédéric Chopin, and Gabriel Fauré, revealing the rich variety and beauty of the fantasy and nocturne genres.

In 1985, Jean-Marc Luisada won the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, and today he is celebrated globally as one of the finest and most fascinating interpreters of F. Chopin. He claims to be a man of the 19th century, frequently emphasizing his love for the past that slumbers within music. The pianist is renowned as a poet of the piano, distinguished by exceptional grace and unexpected interpretations. The musician collaborates with eminent European orchestras conducted by Ch. Dutoit, A. Fischer, M. Plasson, and other masters of the baton. His career is marked by worldwide tours, albums released by renowned record labels such as Deutsche Grammophon, Sony, RCA Red Seal, and others, as well as being awarded French orders of merit for his contributions to art and literature.

The eighth Alexander Paley music marathon—”A Midsummer Night’s Dream”—will soon take place. This marathon is dedicated to the music of German composer Felix Mendelssohn. Not only will renowned works like the “Wedding March” be performed, but some compositions will be heard in Lithuania for the very first time. Three concerts await: at 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 8:00 PM.

Four talented musicians will take the stage. Pianist A. Paley leaves no one indifferent with his talent and charisma. Honored with a multitude of world-class awards, the pianist has performed—and is always eagerly welcomed—at the most prestigious concert halls and festivals. Taipei-born pianist Pei-Wen Chen debuted at New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall immediately after completing her piano studies at the Mannes College of Music in New York. She is a laureate of international piano competitions and a participant in world-class projects. Violinist Raimondas Butvila played in the Lithuanian State Quartet, served as the first concertmaster of the current Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, and in 1993, under a Lithuanian-Venezuelan creative cooperation agreement, relocated to this South American country, where over 18 years he trained several generations of professional musicians. Cellist Marius Dominykas Sakavičius is a participant and laureate of various national and international masterclasses and competitions, having performed as a soloist with various orchestras.