Leon Gurvitch ''Anne Frank Siuita''

Leon Gurvitch – "Anne Frank Suite"

On October 3, we invite you to the historic Telšiai Yeshiva to hear the moving work “Anne Frank Suite” by Hamburg-based Litvak composer Leon Gurvitch. The composer himself will perform on piano, joined by Rokas Vaitkevičius on cello.

The evening’s program will also include Gurvitch's original compositions and the traditional Yom Kippur piece “Kol Nidrei” by Max Bruch.

October 3, 6:00 PM
Telšiai Yeshiva (Iždinės g. 11, Telšiai)

Tickets are available at the Telšiai Yeshiva and on Bilietai.lt

Tickets: 20 EUR
Discounted tickets: 15 EUR (for school pupils, students, seniors, people with disabilities, and POLA card holders. Please present valid ID at the entrance)

Leon Gurvitch on composing the “Anne Frank Suite”:

“The idea to write the ‘Anne Frank Suite’ did not come as an abstract commission, but as a deeply personal impulse – a reflection on the fragility of human fate, especially in the context of the Holocaust, where mere existence became an act of heroism and memory a form of resistance to oblivion.

At the age of 14, I read Anne Frank’s diary and instantly felt her sincere, naive, yet powerful voice reaching across the decades. Later, I visited her memorial museum in Amsterdam – it was one of the most emotionally intense experiences of my life.

I stood for a long time in her room, looking at the faded wallpaper and the narrow space that once held this bright voice destined for silence. At that moment, I knew I had to respond – not only as a person but as a composer.

Anne Frank to me is not just a historical symbol – she is a sign of a lost future and the embodiment of extraordinary inner strength – incredibly fragile, yet unbroken.”

Leon Gurvitch is an internationally acclaimed pianist, conductor, and composer currently based in Hamburg, Germany. Born in Minsk, Belarus, he graduated from the Belarusian State Academy of Music and studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg.

In 2000, he founded the Leon Gurvitch Project, performing at prestigious European festivals such as Leverkusener Jazztage, jazzahead! (Bremen), KlezMore (Vienna), Dialogue of Four Cultures (Łódź), and others. His music blends jazz, klezmer, Balkan, Slavic, Latin American, and Middle Eastern folk traditions.

He has composed over 300 works and collaborated with jazz legend Vladimir Chekasin, trumpeter Frank London (The Klezmatics), and director Peter Zadek. His CD “Eldorado” with Frank London was released in 2010.

In 2001, he composed the soundtrack for the film “Death Game”, produced by Academy Award-winner Menahem Golan.

From 2004 to 2017, Gurvitch taught at the Johannes Brahms Conservatory in Hamburg. In 2011, he served as music director for the Philip Glass opera “Les Enfants Terribles”. His works have been performed by soloists of the Hamburg State Opera.

Awards: Golden Chanukia (Berlin, 2006), Hamburg Music Prize nomination (2015), Carnegie Hall debut (New York, 2017). He is a resident artist at the David Oppenheim Music Center and the Stella Adler Studio of Acting.

Composer’s website: www.leon-gurvitch.com

Rokas Vaitkevičius is a talented Lithuanian cellist currently serving as principal cellist of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. He is also an active chamber musician and a member of the prestigious ensembles Mettis Quartet and Cello Club, both known for their innovation and creativity. Rokas brings expressive depth and virtuosity to their repertoire.

He performs in various festivals and international projects, contributing to the development and promotion of cello music with passion and artistic excellence.

Please note: The event may be photographed and filmed. Visual material may be published in media and social networks.