From October 4 to 9, 2026, the String Orchestra of Kaunas 1st Music School visited Finland to participate in the international project “Kaunas–Mikkeli: International Experience of the String Orchestra of Kaunas 1st Music School”. Throughout the project, the school’s students and teachers joined the orchestras of Mikkeli Music Institute in Finland and Frýdek-Místek School of Arts in the Czech Republic for joint rehearsals, educational activities, an international concert, and meetings aimed at further strengthening cooperation between the music schools.

During the visit, the group explored the historic Sibelius Academy building, as well as the Academy’s facilities at the Helsinki Music Centre, “Musiikkitalo”. The students and teachers visited concert halls, rehearsal rooms, individual practice rooms, and other facilities available to students. Mantas Leonardo Lizzi also spoke about concerts by internationally renowned performers held at the venue and the musical activities of the Academy’s students.

The group also visited the University of the Arts Helsinki’s Töölö Campus Library, located within “Musiikkitalo”, which also serves the Sibelius Academy community. The library features dedicated listening rooms designed for working with music recordings and other materials required for academic studies.

The sightseeing programme also included a visit to the Parliament House of Finland, a monumental building inaugurated in 1931 and home to the Eduskunta, Finland’s 200-member Parliament. At the end of the day, the students and teachers visited the Sibelius Monument, one of Helsinki’s most recognisable landmarks, dedicated to Finland’s most celebrated composer, Jean Sibelius. Following their visit to Helsinki, the orchestra of Kaunas 1st Music School travelled to Mikkeli, where joint musical activities with partners from Finland and the Czech Republic awaited.

Later, the project participants explored the centre of Mikkeli. They visited Mikkeli Cathedral, a Neo-Gothic church built in 1897 and designed by Finnish architect Josef Stenbäck. They also visited Mikkeli Market Square, which has served as a centre of trade and a meeting place for local residents since the eighteenth century.

In the afternoon, intensive joint rehearsals involving all three orchestras took place at the “Mikaeli” Concert and Congress Centre in Mikkeli. Preparing for the international concert were the String Orchestra of Kaunas 1st Music School, the Vilhonkatu Chamber Orchestra of Mikkeli Music Institute, and the String Orchestra of the Frýdek-Místek School of Arts in the Czech Republic. During the rehearsals, the young musicians worked on developing a shared interpretation of the repertoire, refined their ensemble-playing skills, and prepared for their performance.

Throughout the intensive rehearsals, the project participants were looked after by “Vilharmonia”, the parents’ association supporting the string players of Mikkeli Music Institute, which provided refreshments for students and teachers. For many years, this association has actively contributed to the activities of the Institute’s string orchestras, as well as to the organisation of concerts and trips.

At 3:00 p.m., the final joint rehearsals of the three orchestras began in the Martti Talvela Hall of the “Mikaeli” Concert and Congress Centre in Mikkeli. Young musicians from Lithuania, Finland, and the Czech Republic, together with their teachers, prepared for the main event of the entire project: the international concert “Kansainvälisin sävelin” (“International Harmonies”), which began at 6:00 p.m.

The concert featured music from a wide range of genres and historical periods. The programme included Georges Bizet’s “Habanera”, Bedřich Smetana’s “Vltava”, works by Antonín Dvořák, as well as ABBA’s “Thank You for the Music”, Calvin Custer’s “Beauty and the Beast”, Juozas Naujalis’s “Svajonė” (“Dream”), and “Eglė – Žalčių karalienė” (“Eglė, Queen of the Serpents”), composed by Kristina Katavičiūtė, conductor of the String Orchestra of Kaunas 1st Music School.

The concert was distinguished by the exceptional cohesion, musicality, and professionalism of all three orchestras. A particularly memorable highlight of the evening was the closing performance of Jean Sibelius’s “Andante Festivo”, performed jointly by the Lithuanian, Finnish, and Czech orchestras under the direction of Kristina Katavičiūtė, conductor of the String Orchestra of Kaunas 1st Music School and an expert-level violin teacher. The joint performance received an exceptionally warm response from the audience and enthusiastic applause.

Following the concert, the project participants gathered at the “Vekkula” Children’s Cultural Centre for a lively themed evening and a shared dinner. The event brought together administrative representatives, teachers, and students from all three music schools. In this informal setting, participants had the opportunity to socialise, share their impressions, and get to know one another better, while the students revealed new sides of their personalities beyond their musical abilities.

They provide opportunities to improve artistic and performance skills, deepen ensemble-playing experience, develop stamina and confidence on stage, become acquainted with the traditions of music education in other countries, and establish international connections. At the same time, such projects offer valuable professional experience for teachers, enabling them to exchange pedagogical knowledge, explore the working practices of other music schools, and develop joint educational initiatives.

Kaunas 1st Music School is immensely proud of all the young musicians of its String Orchestra and the teachers who prepared them. The accomplished and artistically expressive performance of a demanding musical programme on an international concert stage demonstrated not only the students’ motivation, talent, and dedication to music, but also the exceptional pedagogical expertise, professionalism, and commitment of their teachers. Preparing for an international performance of this kind requires consistent and dedicated work, numerous individual and collective rehearsals, patience on the part of teachers, and additional time often devoted well beyond formally counted working hours. All of this reflects the high overall standard of teaching and artistic achievement at Kaunas 1st Music School.

Special thanks go to Kristina Katavičiūtė, conductor of the String Orchestra of Kaunas 1st Music School and an expert-level violin teacher, for her tremendous work, professionalism, patience, and dedication in preparing the entire orchestra for this international performance.

We are truly delighted by the continuing cooperation between our two music schools, the opportunity to make music together with young Finnish performers, and the joint activities planned for the future. We also thank “Vilharmonia”, the parents’ association supporting the string players of Mikkeli Music Institute, for looking after the young musicians and contributing to the organisation of the project activities.

We are equally pleased to have established new connections and cooperation with Marek Slíva, Director of the Frýdek-Místek School of Arts in the Czech Republic, and our colleague Veronika Trefilova. The joint rehearsals, concert, and meetings between school administrations provided an opportunity not only to become acquainted with the activities of the Czech music school, but also to discuss potential future international projects together.

Following intensive rehearsals, a successful international concert, educational activities, and joint meetings, the String Orchestra of Kaunas 1st Music School set off on its journey home to Lithuania, bringing back new musical experiences, valuable connections, and lasting memories of the international project in Finland.

Prepared by: Administration of Kaunas 1st Music School