Culture Days 2025 – International Classical Music Festival Celebrating Five Years of Creative Triumph

From September 5–24, Marijampolė and the Sūduva region will once again transform into a living stage of classical music, art, light, and sound – as the international classical music festival “Culture Days 2025” takes place for the fifth time.

This year, the festival will present six special evenings, uniting world-class performers, leading Lithuanian creators, new technologies, art installations, and – most importantly – the young generation of talents from Sūduva. All events will be open and free, so everyone can share in this cultural celebration.

A celebration of art that shapes tomorrow

“Every festival is like a new symphony to me, where human voices, the breath of the city, and the dreams of creators intertwine. This year we not only want to showcase top-level performance and visual arts, but also ignite the hearts of young people so that they themselves become creators of quality culture not only today, but in the future,” says Marius Reklaitis, conductor and head of the Marijampolė Philharmonic.

The strength of the festival – the Sūduva Youth Symphony Orchestra

At the heart of the festival is the Sūduva Youth Symphony Orchestra. It brings together students from art schools across the Sūduva region – from Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis to Šakiai, Kalvarija, and Garliava. They will perform on stage alongside professionals, and at the closing concert “Cinema Paradiso” will present a diverse film music program enriched by a live artwork on canvas, created by artist Valentinas Butanavičius.

“When you see a young musician experiencing for the first time the shared energy of playing in an orchestra, you realize they are opening up to a deeper experience than just performance – it is the beginning of their true journey as representatives of a new cultural generation. We must ensure this journey continues. Nurturing youth in the cultural field is priceless – by giving them such a creative platform, we not only strengthen our regional cultural identity, but also contribute to the future of Lithuania and the world, where art remains an essential human and community value,” shares pianist and artistic director Kamilė Zaveckaitė.

A synthesis of culture inspired by Čiurlionis: music, art, and new creative horizons

Marking the 150th anniversary of M. K. Čiurlionis’ birth, the festival will open new doors to the visual arts. For the first time in Marijampolė, lecturer Ričardas Jankauskas will deliver his engaging lectures, revealing the uniqueness of this outstanding figure and his significance not only in art but in the wider cultural world. A highlight of the year will be the national art competition “Inspired by Čiurlionis,” organized by “Culture Days” for both professional and amateur artists of all ages from across Lithuania. Selected works will be exhibited during the festival, and audiences will vote for the winner, who will be awarded a solo exhibition at next year’s festival and a monetary prize. It is especially significant that the festival is giving artists a platform alongside music, expanding its scope and encouraging dialogue between different art forms – a vital element for a vibrant and contemporary cultural evolution.

Unexpected concerts such as “Planetarium” – an audiovisual journey through G. Holst’s “The Planets” with immersive sound installations, or “Čiurlionis. Slowed and Reverb” performed by the contemporary music ensemble “Synaesthesis,” will demonstrate that classical music can be experienced with all senses and integrated into the modern cultural context, offering entirely new perspectives for the listener.

“Culture today – our bridge between past and future”

“This year Marijampolė becomes a place where past, present, and future meet. Here we will hear works created by the great masters of the past, and here new ideas will be born that will grow with our youth. The culture born in our festival today is a bridge that connects our history with what we have yet to create,” emphasizes conductor Marius Reklaitis.

 

Festival “Culture Days” Program:

September 5, 6:00 PM – Marijampolė Culture Centre – “Marijampolė Gala” – opening concert with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra (artistic director G. Rinkevičius), pianists Kamilė Zaveckaitė and Gabriel Meloni (Austria/Italy), violinist Rokas Diržys, and conductor Marius Reklaitis.

September 12, 6:00 PM – St. Cecilia Gymnasium – “Bowling” – where classical elegance meets jazz freedom: Claude Bolling’s concert for classical guitar and piano jazz trio (performed by one of Lithuania’s top guitar virtuosos Rokas Jurkus), blending musical improvisation with rhythms from around the world.

September 19, 6:00 PM – Marijampolė Culture Centre – “Planetarium” – a unique immersive concert, where pianists Julija Bagdonavičiūtė and Kamilė Zaveckaitė perform duets on two pianos with Luka Zaveckas’ visual magic, guiding the audience through Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” and Andrius Šiuris’ interplanetary miniatures, experiencing both cosmic space and inner microcosms.

September 21, 6:00 PM – Marijampolė Evangelical Lutheran Church – the contemporary music ensemble Synaesthesis will take listeners into “Čiurlionis. Slowed and Reverb” – an atmospheric sound journey, where Dominykas Digimas’ recomposed Čiurlionis prelude in D minor resonates slowly and with echoes, revealing a deep ambient soundscape.

September 22, 6:00 PM – Marijampolė Art School – lecture by Ričardas Jankauskas “Happy Birthday, Čiurlionis,” exploring the 150th anniversary of Čiurlionis through the lens of symbolism, music, and visual imagination, and discovering the artist as a living, complex creator.

September 24, 6:00 PM – Marijampolė Culture Centre – Closing concert “Cinema Paradiso” with the Sūduva Youth Symphony Orchestra (cond. M. Reklaitis) and artist V. Butanavičius – where live orchestral music inspires art on canvas, featuring film melodies from Zorba the Greek to James Bond, The Pink Panther, and modern Pixar masterpieces, creating a unique musical canvas where art, cinema, and youthful energy of Sūduva meet.

All events are free!

 

Festival funded by: Lithuanian Council for Culture, Marijampolė Municipality, Kent Philharmonic Orchestra, Canterbury Arts Council

Sponsors and partners: Marijampolė Culture Centre, Mantinga, Marijampolė Art School, Bexley Music, Vytautas Landsbergis Foundation, S. Karosas Charity and Support Foundation, Aukso Versmė, Spindulio Kinas, Statybos Ritmas, St. Cecilia Gymnasium

Media partners: Marijampolė Television, Suvalkietis, Mūsų savaitė, Gyvenimas, Marijampolė Tourism and Information Centre, The Baltic Times, Draugas, Santaka, Alfa.lt

More information and the full program – on Marijampolė Philharmonic’s Facebook, Instagram, and website: www.marijampolesfilharmonija.lt