Osvaldas Balakauskas facts for kids

Osvaldas Jonas Balakauskas (born December 19, 1937, in Miliūnai) is a famous Lithuanian composer of classical music. He is also known for his work as a diplomat.

His Life and Career

Osvaldas Balakauskas finished his studies at Vilnius Pedagogical University in 1961. After serving in the Soviet Army from 1961 to 1964, he studied how to compose music. He learned from Boris Lyatoshinsky and Myroslav Skoryk at the Kiev Conservatory until 1969.

Later, he became an important diplomat. From 1992 to 1994, he was Lithuania's ambassador to France, Spain, and Portugal. He lived in Paris during this time.

In 1996, he received the Lithuanian National Award. This is the highest honor for art and culture in Lithuania. Today, he leads the Composition Department at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. He has written many different kinds of music. These include symphonies, concertos, and music for smaller groups of instruments.

His Music

Balakauskas has created many important musical works. One of his well-known pieces is Sonata of the Mountains (1975). He was inspired to write this by the paintings of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis.

Other key works include his Symphony No. 2 (1979) and Opera Strumentale (1987). His Symphonies No. 4 (1998) and No. 5 (2001) were recorded by Naxos Records. This means his music is available for many people to hear.

Selected Works

Osvaldas Balakauskas has composed music for various types of performances.

Stage Music

He has written music for the stage, including operas and ballets:

• Komunarų gatvė (Street of Communards), a chamber opera (1977)
• Zodiakas (Zodiac), a film-ballet (1984)
• Makbetas (Macbeth), a ballet (1988)
• La Lointaine, a chamber opera (2002)

Orchestral Music

His orchestral works are pieces for a full orchestra:

• Symphony No. 1 (1973)
• Symphony No. 2 (1979)
• Symphony No. 3 "Ostrobothnian Symphony", for string orchestra (1989)
• Symphony No. 4 (1998), recorded by Naxos
• Symphony No. 5 (2001), recorded by Naxos
• Opera Strumentale (1987)

Concertante Music

These works feature one or more solo instruments playing with an orchestra:

• Concertino for piano and string orchestra (1966)
• Ludus Modorum for cello and chamber orchestra (1972)
• Kalnų sonata (Sonata of the Mountains) for piano and orchestra (1975)
• Concerto for oboe, harpsichord and string orchestra (1981)
• Sinfonia Concertante for violin, piano and orchestra (1982)
• Concerto RK for violin and chamber orchestra (1997)
• Concerto Brio for violin and orchestra (1999)
• Capriccio for piano and orchestra (2004)
• Concerto for clarinet and string orchestra (2008)

Chamber Music

Chamber music is written for a small group of instruments:

• Sonatas for violin and piano (1969; No. 2, 2005; Februar Sonata, 2012)
• Kaip marių bangos prisilietimas (Like the touch of a sea wave) for violin and piano (1975)
• Medis ir paukštė (The Tree and the Bird) for viola and piano (1976)
• Lietus Krokuvai (Rain for Cracow) for violin and piano (1991)
• Maggiore-Minore for violin and piano (1994)
• La Valse for solo violin (1997)
• Corrente for flute, viola and piano (2005)

Choral Music

He has also written music for choirs:

• Requiem in memoriam Stasys Lozoraitis (1995), recorded by Naxos

See also

In Spanish: Osvaldas Balakauskas para niños