Guests | Concert “Pamylėjau vakar” – Opening of the 140th Anniversary of Stasys Šimkus’s Birth

The most wonderful songs by Stasys Šimkus will be heard anew with a symphony orchestra! The programme includes not only Stasys Šimkus’s golden songs, but also his enchanting ballad “Nugrimzdęs dvaras” (“The Sunken Manor”), which is performed in concert halls very rarely; this will be only its second performance during the period of independent Lithuania. The ballad is based on a familiar Lithuanian tale about a manor, a princess living there with her father, the king, and a magical bell in the manor’s tower. You will also hear Jurgis Karnavičius’s (1884–1941) Lithuanian dances “Groteskas” and “Džigūnas”, previously undiscovered by audiences, as well as “Lietuviška fantazija” (“Lithuanian Fantasy”). The concert will also feature Juozas Naujalis’s symphonic works, not heard elsewhere: the paraphrase “Antai žebris rugiuose” and the legend-shrouded “Menuetas” (“Minuet”)!

About the performers

KAUNAS YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA “Da Capo al Fine” was founded in April 2024 and brings together young performers from a range of music education institutions, including Kaunas Mikas Petrauskas School of Performing Arts, Kaunas First Music School, Kaunas Juozas Naujalis Music Gymnasium, Kaunas Juozas Gruodis Conservatory, LMTA (Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre), and VDU MA (Vytautas Magnus University Music Academy). In summer 2025, the symphony orchestra recorded Juozas Naujalis’s complete symphonic works: the string piece “Svajonė”, the symphonic paraphrase “Antai žebris rugiuose”, and the symphonic poem “Ruduo”. The orchestra performs at festivals and is engaged for cultural events and celebrations. It bases its foundations and values on Lithuanian symphonic music and concept concerts.

DOMININKAS RAMAŠAUSKAS (born 16 May 2003) is the founder and conductor of the Kaunas Youth Symphony Orchestra. He is a first-year master’s student in choral conducting at LMTA (Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre), studying in Professor Povilas Gylys’s class. He is the assistant director of the “Adoramus” choir and choirmaster of the “Dobilas” choir.