by Monika Petrulienė, Lithuanian National Radio and Television TV News Service

A concert to honor the memory of the late professor and conductor Saulius Sondecikis called “Called to Music” was held at the Royal Castle in Vilnius. Stars and young talents from around the world came to pay their respects to the man with whom they had worked and performed.

Conductor and teacher Saulius Sondeckis

On February 7 some of the performers included violinist Zakhar Bron, trumpeter Sergei Nakariakov, pianists Maria Meyerovich and Julia Zilberquit and the maestro’s son, Paulius Sondeckis.

Solo violinist and violin teacher Zakhar Bron recalled: “We weren’t closely acquainted when he gave the good word for me and helped me very much. Later I encountered this man more often and then I realized what a deep and gigantic figure he really was. Lithuania has become a country dear to me because of Saulius Sondeckis.”

Violinist Boris Traub said: “It so happened that I completed music school with him, and the conservatory, and I worked with him. I was associated with him from 1957 until last year, quite a long gig. There aren’t many families of this kind who work so long.”

An orchestra constituted of students of Saulius Sondeckis and his wife Silvija performed at the Royal Castle. Conductor Juozas Domarkas remarked that a year after the passing of Saulius Sondeckis, it’s still impossible to overestimate his contribution to the culture of Lithuania. He said it was important to remember his family as well, from whom he drew his strength.

“Sometimes I even thin, I don’t know how I managed to do it all. I did. And communication, my husband’s affairs, of course that was very important and required time as well. Later my husband, since almost all of our soloists at concerts were our classmates, that communication and cooperation was always like a great friendship, and everyone came to our house for dinner, we didn’t know restaurants or the geography of restaurants. Everyone came to us and there wasn’t a thought it could have been otherwise, Silvija Sondeckienė, Sondeckis’s widow, recalled.

Saulius Sondeckis founded the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra and conducted it for 44 years, performing more than three thousand concerts and working with some of the most acclaimed orchestras from around the world.