Flute and Piano Concerto “Suoni d’Estate” (“Sounds of Summer”)

Italian flutist Sara Minelli and Lithuanian pianist Jelena Makarova, who have gained international concert experience, invite you to the concert “Suoni d’Estate” (“Summer Sounds”) – a musical experience that combines summer light, nature-inspired visions and the sound of different European musical eras.

The program invites you to embark on a journey from the transparency of the Baroque and the elegance of Italian bel canto to impressionism, 20th-century musical visions and contemporary Lithuanian creations.

Alongside the masterpieces of G. Donizetti, J. S. Bach, C. Debussy, O. Messiaen and M. K. Čiurlionis, the subtle “Nocturne” by L. Boulanger, the meditative music of H. Góreckis and the playful piccolo flutes of L. Janáček’s “March of the Bluebirds” will be performed.

A special highlight of the evening is Lithuanian composer D. Čemerytė’s new work “Sonnengesang” (“Sun Song”) for bass flute and piano, the Vilnius premiere of which will enrich the program with a new sound of Lithuanian music.

The concert will feature concert, bass and piccolo flutes, revealing the exceptional variety of timbres of these instruments – from subtle lyricism to impressive virtuosity.

“Suoni d’Estate” is an invitation to immerse yourself in the summer mood, where music becomes the language of colorful memories and emotions.

This concert also has a special personal meaning for pianist Jelena Makarova – in the anniversary year, together with her colleague Sara Minelli, she returns to perform in the city where her musical path began. Before entering the Royal Academy of Music in London, Jelena studied at the M. K. Čiurlionis Gymnasium of Arts and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, so returning to perform in Vilnius is particularly meaningful for her.

Tickets can be purchased at bilietai.lt.

The concert is partly funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture

About the performer:

Jelena Makarova is a Lithuanian pianist living in London, United Kingdom. She actively performs as a soloist and chamber music performer, and is also an accompanist and teacher, teaching piano at the THAMES music organization.

Jelena graduated as a pianist after graduating from the M. K. Čiurlionis Gymnasium of Arts, the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, and the Royal Academy of Music in London, where, having been awarded a Kathleen Trust scholarship, she studied in Colin Stone’s piano class. She was the first Lithuanian pianist to enter this prestigious institution.

Jelena has performed in the world’s most prestigious venues, such as Carnegie Hall in New York, the Southbank Centre in London and the Mozart Konzerthaus in Vienna.

She has also appeared at the London Contemporary Music Festival, the György Kurtág International Music Festival “Games, Signs and Messages”, the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe Festival, the Lidköping Music Festival in Sweden, and the Kaunas 2022-European Capital of Culture International Festival. At the latter, together with her ensemble trio “Sonorité”, Jelena performed the mixed media piece “Musical Shell” by Lithuanian composer R. Vitkauskaitė and British artist A. Birnbaum, about the thriving cultural life of the interwar Kaunas Jewish community, which was destroyed by the Nazis. In collaboration with the Lithuanian Radio and Television and the Lithuanian Music Information Centre, the soundtrack of the work was recorded for a CD.

Jelena has performed with such British orchestras and ensembles as the BBC Concert Orchestra, the New London Orchestra, the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain and the Belfast Ensemble. She is also a member of the chamber music ensemble trio “Sonorité”, the soprano-piano project “Living Songs” and a duet with Italian flutist Sara Minelli.

In addition to the traditional classical music repertoire, Jelena actively promotes contemporary music, performing works by many world and Lithuanian composers. Jelena has been awarded several scholarships from the Lithuanian Council for Culture, thanks to which she has performed the premieres of works by E.Medekšaitė, Z.Bružaitė, R.Vitkauskaitė, D.Čemerytė and V. Germanavičius in the United Kingdom and Lithuania.

In 2023 and 2024, Jelena and her trio “Sonorité” released the piano music albums “Night Letters” by British composer Stewart Lane and the chamber music albums “Aurora Dances” by Anthony Esland, available on the websites of these composers and on popular digital platforms – YouTube, Soundcloud, Bandcamp. She also recorded the piano, chamber and vocal music album “Winter Trees” by famous British composers Philip Lancaster and Sally Beamish, scheduled for release in the fall.

More information about the pianist’s performances and projects can be found on her social media accounts (“Instagram”/Threads”- jelena.piano , “Twitter”- jelena_makarova and “Facebook”)

London-based flutist Sara Minelli has been described as “a virtuoso with a mastery of avant-garde technique” (British Music Society) and “has earned a reputation among the world’s leading interpreters of contemporary music” (Flute Journal).

She is a highly regarded performer, having appeared in numerous concerts in the UK, including the London Contemporary Music Festival, Fairfield Halls’, Kings Place, Handel House, Kettle’s Yard, Little Missenden Festival, the National Gallery, and Cambridge University.

Internationally, she has performed at the Vox Feminae (Israel), Klangspuren (Austria), Les Moments Musicaux de la Touraine (France), Pontino Festival at the Milan Conservatory, as well as Nuova Consonanza and Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (Italy).

Sara has worked closely with the Royal College of Music’s Composition Department, and has recently appeared with the renowned RIOT ensemble at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Cambridge Electroacoustic Music Festival. She is also a member of the contemporary music ensemble GAMO in residence in Florence.

Sara has released several music albums with “Métier”, “Sargasso” and other record labels. Her recordings have received favorable reviews from the “British Flute Society”, “The Guardian”, “British Music Society”, “Flute Journal”, “Fanfare” and “Music Web International”.

Sarah’s artistic activities have been recognized with important awards, including the “Valentino Bucchi International Prize” in Rome. She also won a scholarship from the Arts Council England International Artist Development Fund to give concerts in Israel. Sarah was invited to participate in the “Klangspuren” international academy of contemporary ensembles, where she worked with conductor Brad Lubman and composer Hans Abrahamsen.

Sara has performed world premieres of numerous works and collaborated with composers including Jonathan Cole, Alessandro Solbiati, Edward Cowie, Rouzbeh Rafie, Alon Epstein, Matteo Giuliani, James Erber, Cheryl Frances-Hoad, David Loeb and Jeremy Thurlow.

In 2021, she was awarded a Ralph Vaughan-Willams Foundation Fellowship to commission a new work by the renowned British composer Richard Causton.

Website: http://www.saraminelliflute.com