Lithuania 2022

​PRESS RELEASE - August 30, 2022

Members of the acclaimed ensemble, The American Virtuosi, were invited as featured guests of the Alytus (2022 Cultural Capital of Lithuania) summer festivities. From August 23-28, 2022, they served as musical ambassadors through concerts as well as their work with young Lithuanian musicians in masterclasses, workshops, rehearsals, and collaborative performances.

Lauded as “American Virtuosi” by international media during their tours spanning over 35 countries, this family ensemble consisting of siblings Emmanuel Borowsky (violin), Frances Borowsky (cello), and Elizabeth Borowsky (piano) has been praised for taking their top-notch classical performances not only to renowned venues but also to audiences far off the beaten path. Their passionate musical performances have been celebrated as transformative experiences that reach the emotional core of listeners.

“At the final concert of the 2022 Veliuona Summer Music Festival, youth of two countries and two continents performed music together, sending a message of peace to the world. The concert was titled, “Music: the Best Bridge For All People,” and presented by the American Virtuosi/Borowsky from the USA together with the Alytus Svajone Orchestra. Not a single person in the audience was left unmoved.”

— -Veliuonos Kulturos Centras

“I was fascinated and moved to tears. This was truly an amazing concert. Thank you.
Virginija Valatkienė, audience”

— Virginija Valatkienė, audience

“
This was a performance of the highest level, with great technique, and on top of it all: a humanitarian perspective. So much emotion! They even performed Lithuanian music! Maybe they have Lithuanian blood in their genes?!”

— Danutė Budrytė Samienė, audience

In addition to the musical performances, Dr. Charles Borowsky, father to the three musicians and a successful sociologist who has used music as a tool in international relations, offered lectures on “Music in the Age of Globalization” and “Music: The Best Bridge for All People.” 
​
Highlights included:

• Diplomatic meetings with government officials including the Deputy Mayor of Alytus (Ms. Jurgita Šukevičienė)

• Meetings with representatives of Lithuanian educational and social programs, including Ms. Gabriele Dambauskaite, Director of the Alytus School of Music

• Interview with Liudas Ramanauskas on Radio Stotis, FM99 in Alytus

• Masterclasses for students from the Alytus School of Music, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, and Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre

• Rehearsals and performances with Orchestra Svajone, directed by Ms. Daiva Martikonyte and conducted by Maestro Vytautas Kiminius

• Performances at the Alytus Cultural Center, Alytus Synagogue, and Veliuona Summer Music Festival

The American Virtuosi performed works by known classical composers but also incorporated works by Lithuanian composers Balys Dvarionas and Giedrius Kuprevičius.

They also performed several of their original programmatic compositions: Martin’s Journey, HARDY, and In Memoriam. 

​In Memoriam was composed by Elizabeth, Emmanuel, and Frances Borowsky and first premiered in Kaunas, Lithuania on June 14, 2013 - a national holiday called, "The Day of Mourning and Hope" - at the foremost Lithuanian music festival, under the patronage of the President of Lithuania. It was  then performed throughout Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia. This composition, which includes arrangements of symbolic songs associated with the history of Lithuania in the 20th century, was acknowledged as an expressive and powerful work.

Perhaps due to Lithuania's relatively recent independence (March 11, 1990),  the currently fragile relationships with neighbors nations (Belarus and Russia), and current events in Ukraine, the American Virtuosi's performances clearly struck a chord, as audiences spontaneously stood up, holding hands and singing along to the melody “Wake Up Baltics” that was incorporated into the third movement of In Memoriam, symbolizing a cry for freedom, peace, and unity.

At the conclusion the final performance in the Alutus Cultural Center, The American Virtuosi joined Orchestra Svajone in a side-by-side performance of the Allegretto from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, as well as “Wild Dances” by Ukrainian singer, Eurovision and World Music Award winning artist, Ruslana (see video excerpt HERE). This cooperation was the capstone on a week of intense musical and personal collaborations. 

“The entire symphony is very happy to have met you and experienced the best week in their life!!!
When we played together, we felt powerful and in fact, invincible!”
Gabija Gudeliauskaite, violinist in Alytus Svajone Orchestra

“I definitely hope that we’ll get to play with you all again, because it was an amazing experience and definitely one of the best weeks of my life!
Aušra Kazakevičiūtė, violinist in Alytus Svajone Orchestra

“We will hold impressions of these powerful concerts and brilliant performers for a long time. We don’t want to go back to normal life.”
Daiva Martikonytė, Director of Alytus Svajone Orchestra

Videos:
Frances Borowsky performs Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei at the Vasaros Music Festival

Frances Borowsky performs Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei at the Alytus Cultural Center

Elizabeth Borowsky performs Frederic Chopin's Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op. 22 at the Vasaros Music Festival

​Elizabeth Borowsky performs Frederic Chopin's Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op. 22 at Alytus Cultural Center

The Nature of Life: Sheet Music

Available for instant download HERE!

This new song cycle has been inspired by the beauty of the New England landscapes: the mountains, the valleys, the lakes, the night skies, and the countless trails to travel between them. Although modern life is undeniably hectic (and no one can truly and permanently escape the questions and challenges life brings), there is a certain reassurance in the serenity and peace that nature provides. We are reminded that the human experience is largely unchanged, even by technology, and that some of the same thoughts, feelings, doubts, hopes, and dreams have been woven into the lives of people regardless of when or where they lived. We experience strength and perspective from the tops of mountains, a sense of community in the valleys, endless possibilities as we peer into the night skies, and a renewed sense of self as we navigate paths and trails, learning to follow the signs but also trust our instincts. New Hampshire has been my home since 2015, and this cycle is proudly written for the New Hampshire Music Teachers Association and the Music Teachers National Association. For these songs, I selected texts by New England poets historic and contemporary, and specifically poems that reflect the relationship between nature and life.

World Premiere of “The Nature of Life”

I was thrilled to partner with my friend, the amazing singer Jessica Deskin, to premiere my song cycle “The Nature of Life.” This work was a joint commission by the Music Teachers National Association and the New Hampshire Music Teachers Association

This work reflects so much of my own personal journey over the past couple of years: pondering existential questions, emjoying the inspiration provided by exploring my natural surroundings, and perusing musical genres outside of the classical sphere.

For this work, I was especially excited to work with Jessica as she has explored a multitude of styles (from classical and jazz, to country and pop). As I had hoped, she brought so many beautiful colors and nuances to her interpretation (listen below!).

The world premiere performance took place at the Music Teachers National Association "Quad State Conference" in Saco, Maine on October 2 (video below). That evening, we performed a recital in Lebanon, NH under the auspices of Classicopia.

Life: An Impromptu (part 2)

A few weeks ago Mr. Smith contacted me to let me know he is losing his battle with lymphoma. He expressed his last wish for the composition: could I arrange for it to be published? I put this project on the top of my to-do list and contacted my friends at Mercersburg Printing.

On March 20, I brought the first copy to him at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. When I entered his room I stopped in my tracks -- he lay there motionless with his mouth agape and eyes half-open. My heart dropped and for a moment I truly thought I was too late. A nurse in the room noticed my reaction and said, "Don't worry - he's just sleeping." She called out to him to wake him and announce that he had a visitor. He opened his eyes and I placed the music in his hands. He immediately perked up. He thumbed through the score, giving his approval. He asked that I make one correction: change his name from Robert to Dick, as this is how his friends know him. While we talked about life and music, and he told me jokes (“Name three cars that start with P”). He introduced me to a few nurses and doctors, and I was astounded that each one already knew who I am.

Over the next couple weeks I visited and spoke with him on the phone a few more times. I invited him to attend a couple performances so that he could hear the final edits that I had made to the music. However, he was released from the hospital the day before the performances and went to his daughter’s home in Southern Maryland.

On Monday, April 1, I got a call from Mr. Smith's son-in-law, Jack, informing me that he had been admitted to the ICU at Civista Hospital in LaPlata. They found blood clots in his legs, his heart was filling with fluid, and he was at risk for renal failure. Jack told me that if it's at all possible for me to visit, it would be much appreciated. 

In the morning I packed the revised music with me (I had picked it up from Mercersburg on Good Friday), as well as my electric piano, hoping to play for him one more time. I also really wanted to obtain his official approval on my edits (I had added a section to the middle of the piece, and opted for a more optimistic ending). En route, I got a call from Jack. He asked me if I had received his voicemail that he left earlier that morning (I had not). My heart dropped as I waited for him to continue. He said, “It’s very nice of you to think of bringing the piano but the ICU is a very carefully controlled area of the hospital and they will likely not allow it.” I was very disappointed to hear this but told him that if nothing else, I would come just as a visitor.

I took the elevator to the third floor and found my way to see Mr. Smith. He lay quietly in his bed, his now-fragile 6-foot frame seeming very diminutive on the hospital bed. He had once been the weightlifting champion of Maryland! I reached for his hand and he spoke softly, in short segments. He told me that he appreciated my coming by to see him, but, "It's so hard. I don't want to go on like this." I told him that I brought a piano with me and asked if he wanted me to play for him. The bed was in the middle of the room and there was enough space by the windows to set up the keyboard in a way that there would still be access to him and the various instruments attached to him, if needed. He perked up and I told him that I would ask. I gingerly approached the ICU desk, and, without much introduction, inquired if I might be able to bring an electric piano up to play for Mr. Smith. Not only was I given the go-ahead (and one nurse promptly re-positioned his bed so that he could have a better perspective), but the staff actually requested that we keep the door to his room open so that other patients could hear the music! On the way to retrieve the piano from my car I met his daughters and their husbands and I shared the good news with them.

As I played Life: An Impromptu, Mr. Smith moved his fingers to the music. When I finished, he smiled and said "it's beautiful." For the next couple hours I played his favorite classical and jazz pieces: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Habanera from Carmen, Bach's Prelude in C, Fur Elise, Pachelbel's Canon... In a Sentimental Mood, Cheek to Cheek, Body and Soul, and April in Paris. A lot of tears were shed as I played through these familiar tunes. After I played Meditation from Thais he asked me if I would play it at his memorial service.

During the visit, I experienced satisfaction in having been able to fulfill his lifelong dream and being able to provide comfort (or at least, a distraction from his pain) through music. But it was hard to leave knowing that I will likely not see him alive again. How does one say "goodbye" in full acknowledgment that it is a final salutation, and yet convey positiveness and hope? I shared with him how much I've learned from him - his love of music, his persistence and his perseverance in working towards his dream, and his faith.

I parted by promising him that I would share his music and story with as many people as I could, and that his music would be enjoyed by generations to come.

UPDATE (April 6, 2013): RIP, Dick Smith.

Program Notes for "Life"

The Story Behind “Life: An Impromptu” 

When he was a teenager, Robert “Dick” Smith (b. 1915) worked four part-time jobs. His favorite was ushering at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, as this allowed him to listen to concerts performed by the greatest musicians of the time. In 1931, famed Russian composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff performed a solo recital that enraptured the audience: they demanded multiple encores. The third one – Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C Sharp Minor - cast a spell on Mr. Smith.

Although he had no musical training (and no regular access to a piano), this performance inspired the desire of Mr. Smith to write his own great composition. From that point, including during twenty years of service as a U.S. Air Force pilot, musical ideas and themes would come to him in his mind, and every chance he got to play on a piano, he would patiently play a note at a time until he was able to recreate the sounds that he had imagined. Life experiences became musical melodies and were woven into the fabric of the composition.

Decades later, he met his granddaughter’s piano instructor, Leia Singer, and described his project. Working with Mr. Smith, she put the piece in sheet music form according to what he had played – and Life: An Impromptu was titled and copyrighted. But it had never been played for an audience, and professional pianists were reluctant to take on this “amateur” work.

A native of Baltimore, pianist Elizabeth Borowsky had performed as a soloist in major concert halls in over 35 countries. However when at home in Baltimore, she would often share her performances with residents of area retirement communities. It was after one of her performances at Oak Crest Village that Mr. Smith introduced himself and explained his desire to have his work performed.

“It is very unique that one person would be so inspired by one moment in time—in Mr. Smith’s case, the Rachmaninoff third encore—and then pursue that passion relentlessly,” said Borowsky. “When he presented me with his music and asked if I help him make his dream a reality, I couldn’t say no. First, I learned the music as he had written it. I listened to a tape recording of Mr. Smith playing the piece and paid close attention to the musical ideas he expressed. I thought about what he was trying to say through the music. And then, with his permission, I began the process of arranging the composition to make it a concert piece – adjusting voicing, strengthening the harmonic structure, creating smoother transitions between sections, and embellishing it with virtuosic elements. I was conscious of making sure that it still would be recognizable as his composition – his musical ideas, his life experiences, and his take on Rachmaninoff – while adding my own touch, which in turn is influenced by my favorite composer, Frederic Chopin.”

On August 29, 2010, Oak Crest Village arranged a concert to celebrate the world-premier of the now-complete work. Ms. Borowsky played the piece that spurred Mr. Smith’s journey, Prelude in C Sharp Minor, followed by Life: An Impromptu. For Mr. Smith, age 95, it was a day when his “dream came true.” Following the performance, Mr. Smith was presented a personal letter of congratulations from Marin Alsop, internationally-acclaimed Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Alsop wrote:

“Please accept my sincere congratulations on the completion of your original composition, Life: An Impromptu…I understand that attending a performance of famed Russian composer and pianist Rachmaninoff at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC in 1931 launched your life-long appreciation of classical music. It is my hope that the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s performances spark that same enthusiasm and passion for music for our audience. Thank you for sharing your love of music in such a meaningful way.”

“It’s amazing to think that the fruition of this great labor of love finally was shared with the public some 80 years after his first experience,” says Borowsky. “It is an honor to be part of this story.”