The Vilnius University wind orchestra “Oktava” was founded in 1951 and has been active for more than 70 years. Over this time, the ensemble has become an integral part of the university’s cultural life, bringing together students from various fields of study as well as members of the VU community.
The 2025 season marks a special period of change for the orchestra. Longtime artistic director Maestro Albinas Kučinskas — whose talent inspired generations of young musicians and whose professionalism is admired throughout Lithuania’s musical community — has been succeeded by Donatas Viaževičius, a trumpeter, conductor, and member of the orchestra, who won the competition for the position of artistic director.
Photo author – Ugnius Bagdonavičius
Photo author – Ugnius Bagdonavičius
We thank Maestro A. Kučinskas for his contribution, mastery, and dedication, which shaped the musical culture of “Oktava” and nurtured multiple generations of musicians. We are delighted that the orchestra is now led by someone who knows its dynamics, traditions, and community exceptionally well, while also bringing fresh ideas and creative energy. We welcome the new season with great enthusiasm.
Over the years, despite changing generations of musicians, “Oktava” has remained a prominent participant in Lithuania’s wind orchestra scene, performing at the highest level in numerous concerts both in Lithuania and abroad. The ensemble is united by a love for live performance and diverse music. Its repertoire includes jazz, classical, soul, funk, rock, pop, marching music, and more. Playing in the orchestra provides an opportunity to become familiar with both world-renowned masterpieces and modern, lesser-known contemporary works.
In the past, the orchestra was led by Juozas Jasenka and Vidas Kerbelis. In 1984, a choreographic group was established alongside the orchestra under the direction of Teresė Gritėnienė. Since 2019, the group has focused on Lindy Hop style and continues to enrich and enliven the orchestra’s performances.
The ensemble’s repertoire includes works by composers such as George Gershwin, John Miles, Benny Goodman, Igor Stravinsky, Irving Berlin, John Williams, Philip Sparke, Randy Newman, Sammy Nestico, Maynard Ferguson, and John Barry, as well as pieces by Lithuanian composers including Kazys Daugėla, Valdas Stanaitis, Linas Rupšlaukis, and others.
“Oktava’s” versatility and broad repertoire are among the ensemble’s greatest strengths. This allows the orchestra to participate in a wide variety of events, promote wind music culture, and encourage youth involvement. The core of the orchestra consists of VU students: future doctors, physicists, psychologists, journalists, chemists, geneticists, biologists, economists, programmers, and many others. Alumni, music school students, and international exchange students also eagerly join this musical community of more than 60 members.
In “Oktava,” everyone finds like-minded people, lifelong friends, and sometimes even their significant other.
Traditional concerts
Each year the orchestra holds concerts which have already become a tradition. The playful concert "Oktalėdos" (OKTAVA (octave) + KALĖDOS (Christmas) = OKTALĖDOS), meant to celebrate the festive season, surprises the audience with charming jazz melodies, numerous pieces and performances by soloists. The repertoire of "Orkestral Fantasy: Ode to the Spring" is often full of grand and sacred music. This concert roars in St. John’s Church predicting the revival of spring after the winter. In the end of the spring the orchestra performs its third large concert - a colourful journey through the musical treasuries of various countries and cultures, soundtracks of movies and musicals. The concert focuses on the performances by soloists together with the orchestra.
Also, each year multiple smaller, but nevertheless equally important concerts take place where "Oktava" plays an important part. The orchestra performs in many annual Vilnius University events, such as: "Renovatio Studiorum" - the celebration ceremony of the new study year, raising of the Vilnius University flag on September 1, the procession, where the members of the orchestra march in front of the whole VU community, leading them to the citadel of science – Vilnius University. The orchestra also participates in Vilnius University’s solemn Diploma Award Ceremonies and "Finis Anni Academici" event, which marks the end of the study year and many other events.
"Oktava" is also a part of the larger cultural scene in Vilnius: the orchestra performs annually in the city’s festivals "Capital Days" and "Culture Night"; to commemorate the St. Casimir’s Day, "Oktava", together with Order of Saint Casimir (Ordi Sancti Casimiri), presents the residents and guests of the city with the concert "Laudate Sancti Casimiri".
Musicians pass a significant part of their summers preparing for and participating in Song Festival, various wind band festivals, such as "Atataria vamzdžiai" in Trakai or "Dūdų vasara" in Panevėžys. The orchestra has also participated in the Lithuanian National Radio and Television Project "Vario audra" ("Brass Storm") and reached its final stage. The band not only showcased superb musicianship, but, together with vocalists Česlovas Gabalis and Edgaras Lubys, dazzled the audiences with great dance moves, showmanship and live performances
The players of Oktava spend their days rehearsing and learning new pieces, performing in concerts, and, of course, interacting with friends, who are similarly crazy about music.
"Oktava" is often invited to play in other countries as well. One of the most memorable concert took place in Luxembourg Cathedral where the orchestra played solo compositions and accompanied for two Vilnius university choirs "Gaudeamus" and “Pro Musica“ performing sacral music. In September, 2014 "Oktava" received a prize for "The best artistic performance" in the "International Youth Orchestra Festival", Poland. The orchestra organized concert tours to Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic and is preparing for new trips around Europe.
Awards
2014 – "Oktava" received a prize for "The best artistic performance" in the "International Youth Orchestra Festival", Poland.
2016 – "Oktava" won the 1st place at the festival "Veju Ritmi" in Liepoja, Latvia.
2017 – "Oktava" won the 1st place at the festival in Pulawy, Poland, and Maestro Albinas Kučinskas was awarded the Best Conductor award.
2022 – Maestro Albinas Kučinskas was awarded the Badge of Honour by the Republic of Lithuania Ministry of Education, Science and Sport for his pedagogical work.
2023 – "Oktava" and its band leader Albinas Kučinskas were granted Lithuanian National Culture Centre award "Aukso paukštė" for the best amateur wind orchestra ant its band leader of 2022.
Releases
"Oktava“ has released two full lenght albums in the recent years: "Music That Unites Us" (2020) and "Solo su Oktava" (2022).
Join us!
Vilnius University students are welcome to join us as are Erasmus students. We always appreciate talented musicians who love music and play one of these instruments: saxophone, flute, clarinet, trombone, euphonium, trumpet, tuba, drums, electric guitar, bass, percussion or keyboard. Singers are welcome as well. Auditions take place throughout the Academic year.
For more information, please contact Donatas Viaževičius:
Contacts and social media
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For more information:
Artistic director and conductor Donatas Viaževičius:
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