Koncertai Burmistrui 2026

KONCERTAI BURMISTRUI 2026The 2026 edition of Koncertai Burmistrui continues to grow as one of the most distinctive chamber music and cultural festivals in Southern Lithuania, uniting music, history, and the natural landscape of Dzūkija. What began as an intimate initiative in Merkinė—one of Lithuania’s oldest towns—has evolved into a cross-regional project, drawing together artists, educators, and audiences from across Europe.Each year, the festival transforms historical and natural spaces into living concert venues: churchyards, forest glades, railway stations, courtyards, and museum halls become temporary stages where the sound of strings meets the rhythm of the land. The 2026 edition expands this vision with a strong ecological and educational focus, inviting participants and visitors to experience a slower, more sustainable form of cultural exchange—one that values connection, authenticity, and presence.At the heart of the festival lies the Burmistro Academy, an international masterclass program for young string players and chamber ensembles. Led by acclaimed artists from Lithuania and abroad—including Jan Talich (Czech Republic), Romain Garioud (France), Jonė Kaliūnaitė (Germany/Lithuania), and Simona Zajančauskaitė (Lithuania)—the Academy offers intensive individual lessons, chamber coaching, and public performances. Through this format, emerging musicians gain direct mentorship, while audiences witness the process of artistic growth as part of the concert experience itself.The 2026 edition also emphasizes regional identity and community participation. Concerts will take place not only in Merkinė, but also in Varėna, Marcinkonys, and smaller Dzūkija towns—each with its own story to tell. The programs will reflect local heritage, with musical dialogues inspired by folklore, Baroque history, and contemporary Lithuanian composition. Local residents are invited to join as volunteers, hosts, and collaborators, ensuring that the festival remains deeply rooted in its community.Sustainability remains a core principle. The festival actively reduces its ecological footprint by prioritizing train travel, reusing materials for signage and set design, and encouraging local sourcing of food and accommodation. Performances in nature are organized with minimal infrastructure—leaving the forest as it was before the music began. This approach reflects Koncertai Burmistrui’s belief that culture should not only celebrate beauty but also protect it.Artistically, the 2026 season will explore the theme “Sound as Place”—examining how music shapes and reveals the identity of a landscape. The repertoire will range from early chamber masterpieces by Brahms, Schumann, and Vivaldi to newly commissioned works inspired by Dzūkija’s forests and rivers. Improvisations, spoken word collaborations, and site-specific performances will invite audiences to listen beyond the concert hall—to hear the resonance between history, memory, and environment.Through its distinctive blend of performance, education, and local engagement, Koncertai Burmistrui 2026 positions itself as a festival where international excellence meets regional authenticity. It seeks to redefine what a “festival” can be: not a fleeting spectacle, but an evolving dialogue between generations, cultures, and the living world.In 2026, the festival will continue to strengthen its partnerships with European institutions, embassies, and artist networks, developing joint residencies and exchange programs that link Lithuania’s southern borderlands with the broader cultural map of Europe.Ultimately, Koncertai Burmistrui stands as a celebration of connection—between people and places, sound and silence, the past and the possibilities of the future.