Evelina Puzaite (born 1982) is a Lithuanian classical pianist, composer, writer,[1] and supporter of Baltic music.[2]

Evelina Puzaitė
Birth nameEvelina Puzaitė
Born1982 (age 41–42)
GenresClassical music
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Piano

Evelina was born in Vilnius in Lithuania, and was first taught piano by her mother Irena. Evelina made her concert debut as a pianist aged 6, and in the same year secured a place to study at the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art under Jurate Karosaitė. Aged 18 she won a full scholarship to study at the Guildhall School in London under Joan Havill.[3]

Evelina has won prizes at 12 international piano competitions including First Prize at the Rubinstein Piano Competition in Paris (1997), Second Prize in the International Competition of Belgrade, Serbia (1997), First Prize in Tel-Hai International Piano Competition, Israel (1999), Third Prize in M.K. Čiurlionis International Competition (1999),[4] Second Prize at the Grodno Composers' Competition in Belarus (2000). She was a finalist at the Guildhall School of Music gold medal in 2004[5] and a semi finalist at the Top of the World International Piano Competition, Tromsø, Norway in 2009. In 2006, Evelina unanimously won the Abstract Securities Landor Competition[6] and was awarded a long-term recording contract with Landor Records.

Evelina made the first of several performances at the Wigmore Hall in 2007[7][8][9] and has played regularly under different conductors with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra/Antoni Wit/Alan Buribaev/Cyril Diederich. In 2011, she was twice invited to play with the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra under Barry Wordsworth,[10][11] and was featured on BBC Radio 3 ‘In-Tune’ with Sean Rafferty.[12] In 2012, Evelina made her solo Carnegie Hall debut,[13] and her solo debut at the Rudolfinum in Prague in 2013. In 2016, Evelina completed a tour of the Mid-West which included a performance at the Casimir Parish Auditorium, in Cleveland, Ohio and the Dame Myra Hess concert series at the Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center which was simulcast on WFMT Radio.

In 2015 Evelina relocated to Old Greenwich in Connecticut in the United States with her husband, a publishing executive named Anthony Davies. Together they have three sons named Konstantinas Albert (b. 2013), Alfred Pranas (b. 2017) and Stanley Arthur (b. 2019).

Discography edit

  • 2001 – Evelina Puzaite piano music, M.K. Ciurlionis National School of Arts[14]
  • 2007 – Moments Musicaux, Landor Records[15]
  • 2008 – Gorecki, Life Journey, Tocatta for 2 pianos, Landor Records
  • 2010 – Schumann Music for Oboe and Piano with Andrius Puskunigis
  • 2012 - AUTUMNAL Chamber Music by Thomas Hyde, Guildmusic[16]

Works edit

  • 1999 – 3 preludes op.1
  • 1999 – Sonata in C op.2 (published in 2014 in London)
  • 2000 – Impression for cello and piano op.3
  • 2001 – Piece for voice and harp; 3 piano preludes op.4
  • 2002 – Mazurka for piano; Prelude op.5
  • 2003 – Piano trio op.6
  • 2004 – Four Hungarian Miniatures for piano (Saulėtoji mozaika) op.7[17]
  • 2004 – Daina (Saulėtoji mozaika) op.7
  • 2004 – Toccatta for 2 pianos (published in Vilnius, Vilnele 3) op.8
  • 2008 – Tempo Primo book was published in Vilnius 2008 (presvika publishing)[18]
  • 2010 – Music for documentary ‘ Lieknas’/the Swamp

References edit

  1. ^ "Biography". Kirckman Society. 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  2. ^ Allison, John (2011). "Ciurlionis and Beyond, Royal Academy of Music". The Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Fellows recital series". gsmd.ac.uk. Guildhall School Music and drama. 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  4. ^ "III International M.K. Čiurlionis Piano and Organ Competition". International Professional Piano Competitions. 1999. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. ^ Cooksey, Douglas (2004). "GSMD gold medal". Classicalsource.com. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. ^ Anderson, Colin (2007). "Cd Review". Classical Source. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  7. ^ Cooksey, Douglas (2007). "Wigmore Hall". Classicalsource.com. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  8. ^ Newman, Bill (2007). "Colourful Renditions". MVdaily.com. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  9. ^ "2009 Concert Series". Lithuanian Embassy, London. 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  10. ^ Wilby, Richard (2011). "BPO, Brighton Dome". The Brighton Argus. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  11. ^ Dennett, Phil (2011). "Evelina Puzaite at the Dome". The Worthing Herald. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  12. ^ Rafferty, Sean (2011). "Interview on BBC 3". BBC Website. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  13. ^ Schrade, Rorianne (2012). "Pianist in Review". New York Concert Review Inc. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  14. ^ "fortepijanos". Nacionalinė M.K.Čiurlionio menų mokykla. 2003. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  15. ^ Nice, David (2007). "Kodaily, Ciurlionis, Liszt & Rachmaninov". Classical Music.com. BBC Music Magazine. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  16. ^ Mullenger, Len (2011). "Autumnal". Musicweb-International.com. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  17. ^ "Saulėtoji mozaika". 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  18. ^ Church, Berdnadinai (2009). "Tempo Primo". Bernadinai magazine. Retrieved 3 February 2015.

External links edit