KONCERTINO – LIVE

KONCERTINO. The lithuanian accordion “Koncertino” quintet was founded by Ricardas Sviackevicius in 1978. Under his direction the quintet developed to an outstanding musical group, which has been unmatched within the former Soviet Union as well as in the western countries, after the opening of the borders. In between there are hundreds of concerts and tours to many countries in Europe, which the four women and her leader got over with great success. Also they received first prizes on international music competitions. Recordings at radio and TV-stations as well as several records were produced. Press comments from inside and outside the country considered the ensemble to be an outstanding exception in music groups and reviewed with almost effusive (gushing) praise and respect. The succeed does not come without reason: the members of the quintet are professional musicians, who are working as teachers at music schools and conservatories within their home city. Ricardas Sviackevicius is one of the leading public figure of the accordion music scenery of the Baltics; being longstanding president of the accordionists association of the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and further organizer and founder of the International Baltic Music Festival. The quintet is cooperating successfully with renowned composers esp. from Lithuania for developing new possibilities of musical expression and sound facets for the accordion in the ensemble. Quite often they are performing together with another musician of other music instuments by which they receive an especially colourful sound. Their extraordinarilly extensive repertoire covers almost all differents stiles of music. ANTANAS SMOLSKUS – Bibyna solo Born in 1951 in Duagiai (Lithuania), Smolskus already began to play the long traditional Lithuanian folk-instrument, the birbyna,, when he was quite young. After attending the childrens’ school of music he began studying at the Conservatory and the State Academy of Music in Vilnius. There he improves his technique and esthetics so well, that he meanwhile is respected as the most outstnading pioneer to pave the way fort he folk instrument tot he cultural instrument. By numerous recordings at radion and TV stations as well as on records he showed his magnificent art of playing the birbyna whih is unequalled until now. 1996 he was appointed professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music in Vilnius. The birbina is one of the oldest Lithuanian folk instrument, and comparable to the European clarinet. This woodwind instrument was originally made of bark or wooden pipes by screwing holes into it. The tone was produced by blowing into a split goose feather, which was located at the end of the pipe and controlled by the finger-holes. The instrument was very popular among cow and sheep herders. During the 1950s the instrument was technically improved. Today the birbina is made of maple or apple tree wood. At the upper part of the cylindrical pipe a clarinet mouthpiece is attached and at the lower part a cowhorn. Its tonal range covers the chromatic tones from “a” to “d3”.