Symphony from Jerusalem of the North

In 2023, there will be two very important jubilees - the 75th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel and the 700th anniversary of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. To commemorate these events, we are organising the “Symphony from Jerusalem of the North” by Lithuanian composer Jievaras Jasinskis at Jerusalem Theatre on the 18th of May this year.

The concert will be performed by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and guest musicians from Lithuania and Israel. This music project is the final event of the “March of the Nations” conference in Jerusalem. Performing a concert by a Lithuanian composer is like a greeting to the State of Israel from Vilnius, once known as the Jerusalem of the North.

This contemporary symphony is unique and one of its kind. This classical music intertwines with Lithuanian and Hebrew folklore motifs. The hour-long musical journey is being performed by Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and Hebrew and Lithuanian folk instruments – birbynė, kanklės, Persian tar, saz, Hurdy-Gurdy and ancient Hebrew horns – shofars. The project also brings in Yaron Cherniak from Israel, multi-instrumentalist playing string instruments from the Middle East, and Lithuanian Jew opera singer Rafailas Karpis.

History of the project & its importance

Jewish people have lived in Lithuania for many centuries and have made an enormous contribution to the social, economic and cultural life of our country. Over time, Vilnius became a very important centre of European Jewish culture and religion, that's how it earned the name Jerusalem of the North.

The idea of the "Symphony from Jerusalem of the North" is to show how close the history of Lithuanians and Jews is intertwined. So the project was born in 2021 when a painful 80th anniversary of the Holocaust was commemorated worldwide.

And one of the most promising composers of the younger generation in Lithuania, Jievaras Jasinskis, created a bespoke masterpiece based on the script of Tadas Daujotas, the author of the idea and the shofarist.

The premiere of “Symphony from Jerusalem of the North” took place on the 23 September – a National Memorial Day for the Genocide of Lithuanian Jews, and performed at the courtyard of the Presidential Palace, close to the Vilnius Ghetto; among guest of honour were heads of state, foreign ambassadors, members of the Jewish community of Lithuania, the Righteous Among the Nations and their descendants. The concert itself was broadcasted on national television.

Developing this musical project further, our aim is to commemorate the history of Lithuanian Jews through an artistic prism, honor the memory of the Litvaks who once lived in our country, and fight against modern forms of antisemitism by not being silent but united to be able to avoid the mistakes of the past in the future. So, join us on a musical journey, during which we will witness the most important moments of Israel and Lithuania’s history.

SCENARIO

"Symphony from Jerusalem of the North" is a musical journey consisting of 15 instrumental parts during which the audience travels through time and with the help of visual means i.e. images, texts on the screen, empathise with the scenario of such unique and dramatic piece.

In a symphony of Middle Eastern melodies, we will see how the Jewish people were born, meet the biblical heroes Abraham (2000 BC) and David (1000 BC), and witness one of Israel's most tragic events, the destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD), which forced the Jews to flee from their homeland and scattered among the nations worldwide.

Then, the audience will be transferred to the other side of the world - Lithuania - and will hear the dream of the Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania (1323), the interpretation of which led to the Duke sending letters to European cities and inviting merchants and craftsmen from all over Europe to Lithuania. This is how the Jews came to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and these events are linked to the founding of Vilnius, which will celebrate its 700th anniversary in 2023.

The musical journey will continue with the music of the past, reminding us of how the Jews came to Lithuania (14th century), the wisdom of the Vilna Gaon (18th century), and the forces of darkness enveloping Europe (1941-1945).

The tragedy of the Holocaust is undoubtedly the most sensitive part of the Symphony from Jerusalem of the North. But in the chaos, hope is not extinguished, and after a deadly silence, the triumphant sound of the ancient Hebrew shofar-horn announces the joyful news of the restoration of the State of Israel (1948).

In the 20th century, the musical journey intensifies and the audience has the opportunity to witness the reunification of Jerusalem (1967), the fall of the Soviet Union and the restoration of the Lithuanian state (1990).

The last part of Symphony from Jerusalem of the North is called "A New Beginning", a moment where hearts are opened, where the past and the present meet, where the walls of anti-Semitism come down and where bridges of love and unity begin to be built from one heart to another.

REVIEWS & TESTIMONIALS

The Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Vilnius City Municipality St. Christopher chamber orchestra, Modestas Barkauskas says that the "Symphony from Jerusalem of the North" is a piece of work that reflects the historical and musical traditions of both nations.

The creative use of archaic intonations and traditional Hebrew and Lithuanian instruments give the work an authentic and spiritual fullness. The masterful instrumentation and the cohesive whole of the work have left no listener indifferent who has attended our concerts.

After the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust concert in Biržai, a town with a deep Jewish history, we were approached by a history teacher who, with tears in his eyes, said: "Thank you for the history lesson through music".

These heartfelt words has motivated us even more to continue developing our project and make it available to a wider audience in Lithuania and beyond.