Osvaldas Balakauskas is a Lithuanian composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

 of classical music.

Career

Balakauskas graduated from Vilnius Pedagogical University

Vilnius Pedagogical University

Vilnius Pedagogical University is a university in Vilnius, Lithuania, which specializes in preparing school teachers and other educators. As of 2007 it had approximately 12,500 students.-History:...

 in 1961. After his mandatory service in the Soviet Army between 1961 and 1964, he studied composition with Boris Lyatoshinsky and M. M. Skorik at Kiev Conservatory

Kiev Conservatory

The Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music is a Ukrainian state institution of higher music education. Its courses include postgraduate education.-History:...

 until 1969. From 1992 to 1994 he was ambassador of Lithuania

Lithuania

Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...

. In 1996 he was awarded with the Lithuanian National Award, the highest artistic and cultural distinction in Lithuania. He is currently head of the Composition Department of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre

Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre

The Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in Vilnius, Lithuania, is a state-supported conservatory that trains students in music, theatre, and multimedia arts.-History:...

. His output consists of symphonies, concertos, chamber and instrumental music.

Music

Important works include Sonata of the Mountains inspired by the paintings of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis

Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis , also known as M. K. Čiurlionis was a Lithuanian painter and composer. Čiurlionis contributed to symbolism and art nouveau and was representative of the fin de siècle epoch. During his short life he composed about 250 pieces of music and created about 300 paintings...

 (1975), Symphony No. 2 (1979), Opera Strumentale (1987) and Symphonies No. 4 (1998) and No. 5 (2001), the last two named works having been recently recorded by Naxos Records

Naxos Records

Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...

.

Selected works

Stage

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

Orchestral

• Symphony No. 1 (1973)
• Symphony No. 2 (1979)
• Symphony No. 3 "Ostrobothnian Symphony", for string orchestra (1989)
• Symphony No. 4 (1998), recorded by Naxos
  Naxos Records
  Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
  
   (8.557605, 2005)
• Symphony No. 5 (2001), recorded by Naxos
  Naxos Records
  Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
  
   (8.557605, 2005)
• Opera Strumentale (1987)

Concertante

• 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)
• Passio Strumentale for string quartet and orchestra (1980)
• 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)
• Seasons for 2 pianos and string orchestra (2009)

Chamber music

• Medis ir paukštė (The Tree and the Bird) for viola and piano (1976)
• Do nata for cello or viola and tape (1982)
• Corrente for flute, viola and piano (2005)
• Duo concertante for viola and piano (2007)
• Trio concertante for flute, viola and piano (2008)

Choral

• Requiem in memoriam Stasys Lozoraitis (1995), recorded by Naxos
  Naxos Records
  Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
  
  (8.557604, 2004)