Ignalina District Tourism Information Center

Arūnas Šlaustas project (Lithuania)

Concerts

Arūnas Šlaustas is a well-known performer not only of jazz, but also of academic music, who graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater (class of Prof. M. Azizbekova). He complements the concert activity with composition. He is a unique composer, constantly returning to the source of classical music, exploring the connections between jazz and academic music in his work. A. Šlaustas has given many recitals, given concerts with various orchestras and chamber ensembles. He collaborated with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuanian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, the wind orchestra Trimitas, the Vilnius String Quartet, wrote compositions and played with St. With the Christopher Chamber Orchestra, the LRT found over 100 recordings (solo and with various performers) and released a number of CDs (including original ones). A number of works by A. Šlaustas have been registered in the LATGA agency, the LMTA Publishing Center has published a collection of plays for jazz ensembles.

Since 1987 The performer plays jazz in ensembles of various compositions: the LMTA Big Band led by Vladimir Chekasin, the Arnoldas Gurinavičius Quartet, the New Lithuanian Trio, the Danielius Praspaliauskis Quartet and the Dixieland. Later he formed the quintet Contra Jazz with D. Praspaliauskis. The pianist has performed with these ensembles in many European countries - Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Denmark, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, performed at famous festivals "Open Music" (St. Petersburg), "New Territory" (Kiev), "Aarhus jazz festival ”(Denmark). He has participated in musical projects with many Lithuanian jazz musicians, as well as with folk music groups. In 1991, A. Šlaustas founded the contemporary music ensemble "Ex tempore", which was well received by music critics, gave concerts in many European countries, participated in international festivals "Probaltica", "Wratislavia Cantans", the prestigious Warsaw Autumn (1997) and gave many concerts. In Lithuania.

Linas Ivanauskas - guitarist and founder of the Cosmic Latte group, actively performs with Karolina Žibkutė, Martynas Vilius and Aurimas Papečkis, multiple participants of Kaunas Jazz, Flora Jazz festivals with the Magic Time Orchestra big band.

Drummer Darius Rudis has considerable stage experience since 1999, when he made his debut on the jazz scene. Already known as a technical and flexible musician during his studies, he is recently one of the most active and in-demand drummers in the country, playing with many authoritative Lithuanian jazz musicians, with pop music performers, giving many concerts abroad.

Eugenijus Kanevičius plays bass instruments (double bass, bass guitar, tuba), creates hymns of praise and actively participates in church services.