CIURLIONIS

A Lithuanian evening in North Melbourne

Ciurlionis, a Lithuanian evening in North Melbourne took place in Lithuania House, North Melbourne on June 11th, 1999. Based around the music and art of the influential Lithuanian composer and artist Ciulionis (1875-1911), the event comprised an evocative and eclectic mix of innovative new music and visual art with traditional Lithuanian food, music and dance provided by members of Melbourne’s Lithuanian community. Included on the program was the world premiere of a string quartet by Professor Yu Wakao of Hiroshima University, the Australian premiere of string quartets by the contemporary Lithuanian composer Nomeda Valanciute and Ciurlionis and an installation by film projection artist Louise Curham.

Ciurlionis is an important cultural figure in the Lithuanian community. As both a composer and visual artist, he is one of Lithuania’s first national artists, proclaiming his own Lithuanian identity as the source of his own work. The evening celebrated his music and art and showed some of the traditional culture that was his source of inspiration. It also celebrated the influence Ciurlionis’ work has had on other composers with Professor Yu Wakao, a composer and musicologist from Hiroshima University speaking about his own interest in Ciurlionis’ work.

CREDITS:

Performers — Edwina Kayser, Rosemary Walsh, Cynthia Troup, Jane Tallon
Facilitators — David Young & Colin Sneesby

Supported by the City of Melbourne