September 28, 2023

2022 Cliburn Silver Medalist Anna Geniushene’s new album Berceuse is out now on the Piano Classics record label. It features a collection of berceuses, cradle songs, and lullabies from 18 different composers, representing this traditional musical form across geographic boundaries, cultures, and eras. This deeply personal album also serves as a tribute to her two young sons Tomas and Mark, to whom this recording is dedicated.

The album (PCL10279) is now available worldwide on CD and through all download and streaming services.
The physical CD is available in the Cliburn Shop here.

Anna shares this insight into her recording selections:

“We remember, from when we were infants, these precious moments of being cuddled by our relatives who were always there for us. We might even remember their gentle voices, whispers, and breathing, and the smells of the place we were at that time. Once you become a parent, you are no longer the center of your own universe and have to concentrate all your resources on giving everything to your beloved children, particularly when they need extra comfort. So what can be more natural than a mother’s voice for this type of occasion? So we start to say something in a very gentle way, we may even sing some melodies, sometimes blending it with words directed and dedicated to our beloved ones. This is how the story of every ‘cradle song’ begins.

While designing this program, I was fascinated by the amount of this music which had never been recorded. My particular interest was in finding a way to promote compositions which could undoubtedly be named as hidden treasures of piano music.”

While competing in the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Anna was seven months pregnant with her second son, Mark. After three weeks of intense competition, she returned home to Lithuania, to her husband and their 1.5-year-old son Tomas, with the silver medal. Mark was born the following October. In the concert season since, she has embarked on a busy touring schedule, performing in top concert halls across North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Her husband, Lukas Geniušas, is also a highly accomplished touring pianist.