This spring, together with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Italian maestro Gianna Fratta, the piano keys of one of today's brightest pianists, Petros Geniuš, will sound. March 28 in the LVSO concert hall and on March 29. At the Utena Cultural Center, P. Geniušas will perform one of his most beloved works - J. Brahms' Second a concert for the piano. "This is not just a work, but a project that unites the whole personality," said the piano maestro in an interview before the concert.
— Dear Peter, first of all, I would like to ask, what are you doing for a living at the moment?
— I have been living between two cities for the ninth year - between Vilnius and Glasgow - and I do pedagogical work in both: I teach at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater and the Royal Conservatory of Scotland. A pianist lives mainly by what he plays - this is my main experience. It was last Friday concert At the festival held in Glasgow, I performed a work for four pianos by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt together with my colleagues. Also, for a long time now I have been living J. Brahms's concerto, which I will play together with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra this week. This is the basic life of musicians.
— For the concerts in Vilnius and Utena, you chose J. Brahms's Second Concerto. Why?
— This concert is extremely important to me. This is my favorite concert ever since I was young, and I used to listen to it even when I didn't have the chance to play it myself. But I always dreamed about him. Eventually managed to play it, but that was years ago, way back in the last century. Now, after a long break, I really wanted to return to this concert at another level. For a pianist, it is one of the central works. All the pianists who play the Second Concerto of J. Brahms understand each other - it is not just a work, but a project that unites the whole personality. I felt a new maturity and an opportunity to say something new in this piece - not the same as in 1999.
— As a pianist and pedagogue, you have accumulated a great deal of experience. How has your approach to music changed over the years? What is the most important thing for you in music and performing arts right now?
— The accumulated experience is really great, but I think that I always maintain the attitude of a curious newcomer: I am always looking for something new, it is very interesting for me. Every day something starts anew. I would be sad if I made music based on experience alone. I try to always be open to the day. A person with experience accumulates more all kinds of subtleties, points of view - more of everything. What remains is the love of music and the freshness itself - it never goes away, it's always there. I try to keep that teenage spirit - after all, the human soul remains the same. Perhaps only the means of expression appear different.
— What helps you in your everyday life to maintain the freshness you are talking about, the sense of newness?
— For me, curiosity and inquisitiveness are natural - otherwise it's not very interesting. Being in a routine just doesn't work for me.
— Are you still nervous about going on stage?
— Everyone is excited - old and young, but that excitement is not something sick. If he is sick, then he is in the way. For me, the thrill of the stage is like meeting a loved one - a good thrill. This is not fear, this is simply a moment of celebration, of elation.
— In Vilnius, your concert will take place in the newly reconstructed LVSO concert hall. You participated in the opening concert of the hall. What are your first impressions? What impression did the acoustics of the hall leave?
— I think we were all a little stunned. It seemed that the hall would simply be renovated. But when I entered and saw a completely different hall, I thought, where am I: in Hamburg or Vilnius? Really impressive hall and excellent acoustics. I haven't heard the piano on it yet, but what I heard was amazing. It's amazing and a little overwhelming that we have such a hall.
— Do you have any unfulfilled creative dreams?
— Without dreams, nothing moves forward - there is always a work or project planned for the future. I have a lot of dreams, and at the same time there is also a desire to make sense of everything in a new way. It seems to me that dreams are different at different stages of life. The dreams of a young person are to achieve, defeat, prove something. Now it's different - dreams are more internal in nature: you want to transform, mature, feel a new level of spirituality.
The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra's concert "Petras Geniušas calls J. Brahms" will take place in 2024. March 28 at 19 p.m. in the LVSO concert hall and on March 29. 18 p.m. In the Utena Cultural Center. Conductor Gianna Fratta. Tickets are distributed by the box office of the LVSO concert hall and Bilietai.lt. The general sponsor of the orchestra is Embank, the patron is the Cobalt law firm.
Ieva Bačiulytė
