ČIURLIONIO KELIU

IN ČIURLIONIS’S FOOTSTEPS

The BIRŠTONAS SUMMER OF MUSIC festival presents the young pianist Povilas Ušinskis, whose recital In Čiurlionis’s Footsteps reflects his sustained engagement with the music of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis and his commitment to introducing it to audiences in Lithuania and abroad.

The title refers not only to the music being performed, but also to the pianist’s own journey – from his first encounters with Čiurlionis’s works to an ever-deeper understanding of their world, and from student performances to international competitions and concert stages.

In Povilas Ušinskis’s programme, the music of Čiurlionis will be heard alongside the great European Romantic tradition. Echoes of Lithuanian folk melodies, intimations of nature, memories and inward contemplation will meet Romantic ardour, drama, reflections on solitude and virtuoso pianistic expression.

This is music that invites unhurried listening. Silence matters as much as sound, and what remains unspoken is as important as moments of powerful emotional release. The intimate setting of Birštonas Kurhaus is especially suited to such a recital, allowing listeners to hear the subtlest shades of the piano and follow the musical narrative created by the young performer.

Povilas Ušinskis is an active participant in the concert life of Šiauliai and has performed on several occasions with the Šiauliai City Symphony Orchestra Camerata Solaris and the Šiauliai City Wind Orchestra. Through his concerts, he represents his native city and promotes the music of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, which he is invited to perform at festivals in Lithuania and abroad.

In 2025, Ušinskis won the 14th Riga International Competition for Young Pianists and was awarded a scholarship to attend the tenth Feuerwerk Einbeck Piano Academy and its masterclasses. The academy is led by its artistic director, pianist Gintaras Januševičius. Ušinskis has also received more than ten awards at competitions in Lithuania.

In 2024, he received the Šiauliai UNESCO Club Prize for his artistic achievements and contribution to the international profile of Šiauliai. He was also awarded the 2024 Šiauliai Young Artist Scholarship and was nominated for the Order of St Casimir’s Guardian Angel Award in 2023. In 2026, he graduated from the Šiauliai Saulius Sondeckis Gymnasium of Arts, where he studied piano with Raimonda Sližienė.

In Čiurlionis’s Footsteps is the young pianist’s invitation to journey to a place where Lithuanian musical memory meets European Romanticism and familiar sounds can reveal themselves anew.

Performer:
Povilas Ušinskis, piano

Programme: Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt

8 August, Saturday, 7 p.m.
Birštonas Kurhaus, 2 B. Sruogos Street