12 FEBRUARY 7 PM
For a number of years now, the Lithuanian Armed Forces Orchestra has been organising a series of concerts on the occasion of the restoration of Lithuania’s independence on 16 February together with the Vilnius Town Hall Collective. At the same time, the Orchestra continues its long tradition of inviting guest conductors from abroad. The Army Orchestra had the opportunity to experience the subtleties of the bridge of the conductor’s baton of such world-famous conductors as Russell Gray, Kevin Houben, Jan Van der Roost, Jan de Haan, Magnus Hylander, James Curnow, James Saker, Guntis Kumačevs and Peeter Saan.
This festive concert “Salutes of Freedom” is brought to you by Leif Karlsson, Inspector and Chief Conductor of the Swedish Armed Forces Orchestras, together with the Lithuanian Armed Forces Orchestra under the direction of Kapellmeister Maj. Egidijus Ališauskas. The evening concert will feature atmospheric works by Swedish and Western composers.
Leif Karlsson is Inspector Emeritus of Music of the Swedish Armed Forces and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. During his career as a percussionist, conductor and artistic advisor, Leif Karlsson has travelled the world performing Swedish music and promoting Swedish culture. Leif Karlsson co-founded the Kroumata Percussion Ensemble in 1978 and has toured internationally as a soloist with orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Berliner Symphoniker, the WDR Rundchestra Orchestra, the Gothenburg Orchestra, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. In recent years, Leif Karlsson has been particularly sought after as a conductor of brass bands, has worked with many Scandinavian orchestras, and has served as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Lithuanian Symphony Orchestra of Wind Instruments. He has been Artistic Director of the Uppsala Symphony Wind Orchestra since 2014 and Artistic Director of the Norrbotten Youth Symphony Orchestra since 1991.
Event organiser: Vilnius City Hall
Event partner: the Lithuanian Armed Forces Orchestra
