On the 116th birthday of violinist Jascha Heifetz on February 2 the winners of the European Youth Music Contest kicked off the Hommage à Heifetz project financed by the European Union program Creative Europe with a concert at the Royal Castle in Vilnius. Talented young musicians from Sweden, Japan, China and Lithuania held the first concert playing selections from Jascha Heifetz repertoire with the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra of Vilnius conducted by Modestas Barkauskas.

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky gave a speech welcoming the audience and thank the organizers, partners, supporters and participants of the contest in the name of the community. On February 19 the winners will be presented a special prize from the Lithuanian Jewish Community.

Kukliansky said: “The Vilnius Jewish community granted Jascha Heifetz his first stipend at the beginning of his career, before he was a world-famous star, and this tradition of providing assistance to talented young Jews continues till today. Jascha Heifetz’s talent and extraordinary musical gentleness charmed the world, tore down walls and built bridges between separate nations and religions, and in the present day the violin contest named in his honor is bring people and nations closer together, helping discover and publicize some wonderful talents.”

In 1959 Heifetz played at the United Nations birthday celebration, and now for the fifth time violinists from around the world celebrate his birthday and pay honor to the memory of this great violin legend of the world and Litvak.

Full story in Lithuanian here.