The Vilnius Festival Orchestra represents best traditions of the string school in Lithuania.

It was an idea of Mr.Gintautas Kevisas, Artistic Director of Vilnius Festival to establish the Vilnius Festival Orchestra composed of the top young and experienced players. He presented this idea to Mr.Yuri Bashmet who often performs with the Lithuanian musicians and, to the great surprise and satisfaction, Mr.Yuri Bashmet agreed to the proposal to become Artistic Leader and Conductor of Vilnius Festival Orchestra.

The musicians of the orchestra have played within the Lithuanian National Symphony, Lithuanian State Symphony, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet, Kremerata Baltica orchestra.

The Vilnius Festival Orchestra is an ideal formation to perform wide-range repertoire from Baroque to contemporary Lithuanian music. Every program is carefully selected and includes at least one world premiere by contemporary Lithuanian composer.

In its first opening program of the VFO in June 2003 the orchestra performed world premiere of Gintaras Sodeika’s alongside with W.A.Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante (soloists Yuri Bashmet and Nikolaj Znaider), Franz Schubert and Benjamin Britten. Huge enthusiasm of the orchestra players and Mr.Bashmet made the orchestra’s first appearance really impressive and created positive opinion in the audience as well as media.

Next performances of the VFO will involved Mr.Julian Rachlin (born in Vilnius, Lithuania) and Maestro Justus Frantz who will celebrate his 60th anniversary in Vilnius, the city that he has a lot of cultural and political relations with.

In Lithuania and abroad, the Vilnius Festival Orchestra performs various programs on important occasions, state holidays and within international music festivals.