MIKALOIUS KOSTANTINAS ČIURLIONIS

Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis was born in Varena (a small Lithuanian town) on September 10, 1875. He was a composer, a musician, and a painter. Čiurlionis is known to be one of the most outstanding Lithuanian artists of the early 20th century.

During his childhood, taught by his father, he learned to play the piano and the organ. He joined the orchestral school in Plongé and learned to play various instruments. In addition to this, Čiurlionis started composing music and drawing. He composed a symphonic poem titled “In the Forest” dedicated to his friend E. Morawski, with which Čiurlionis won a special mention from the jury in the Count Zamoyski competition. During his life, he composed around 400 pieces of music and painted about 300 creations. Čiurlionis died in Pustelnik in 1911.