Choir directors' seminar - Some of the Stars Who will be Performing
After the recent wonderful events in Lithuania commemorating 100 years of song festivals, we return to preparations for next year’s North American Lithuanian Song Festival. We invite all choir leaders to a seminar of utmost importance, which will be held August 15-18 at the Dainava camp location (15100 Austin Rd. Manchester, MI 48158).
Are we not the focus of choral activity in our communities ?
This seminar is especially important. The principal festival organizers, Kristina Kliorys and Aleksandras Stankevičius, will present the song festival repertoire, scenario, and artistic direction, as well as organizational information. All of this is essential information for choir directors and their representatives. When you return to your communities after the seminar, you will have a plan: where to begin, what to teach immediately, what preparations need to be made. The number of singers, their level of proficiency, and ultimately the success of the song festival depend on you.
Do we really know everything about the choral art form?
Mr. Frank Bianchi will be a speaker at the seminar. He is a choir director, educator, and university professor widely known in the United States musical community. He has been the choir director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. He has been recognized for his 46 years of work with numerous awards and accolades. He has conducted choirs in Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, California, Florida, and Pennsylvania. He has lectured and conducted seminars for music teachers and directors of high school, university, and church choirs. Mr. Bianchi was a guest speaker at a previous choir directors’ seminar preparing for the IX North American Song Festival. After this experience he wrote: „I‘ve done so many festivals and workshops, but I remember that gathering in Michigan as if it were yesterday for many reasons. The warm welcome, the camraderie and mutual respect of the choir directors gathered were what I took away from that beautiful experience. I accept to go back in an instant. I‘m very excited to work with everyone, and I think it‘s going to be a blast!“ Let‘s register for the upcoming seminar and gain knowledge from Frank‘s lecture titled: „How to build a beautiful choral ensemble with non-professional singers through warm-ups and various techniques using the repertoire“. At the same time, let’s join the small circle of Lithuanian diaspora choir directors – thanks to whose efforts the XI North American Lithuanian Song Festival will be a wonderful success.
Do we not wish to rise to the stars and light the way for others?
„From here we rise to the stars“ – that‘s the motto of Vilnius University. Dr. Indrė Viskontas is a neuroscientist and university professor who has already risen to the stars. Her lecture at Vilnius University on July 3 was titled „How Music Can Make You Better“. The Aula Parva hall was jam packed, and those who could not attend in person watched her presentation by the thousands, as recorded by the VU Philosophy department on Facebook. Her lecture analyzed research conducted for the first time in Lithuania: the effects of music and singing on the listener‘s brain. We will hear more about this research and her findings during the choir directors‘ seminar. That‘s right! This star – internationally known scientist, opera singer, university professor, Neuroscience and Creativity company president – will share her research and insights with us. So that we might return to our choirs and communities, having acquired additional knowledge and been inspired by Dr. Indre‘s enthusiasm.
Are we not longing to see each other again?
I think that is surely the case. We long to see each other again, to be as one family, to spend time together, and to discuss recent events. To take delight in one another‘s accomplishments, like two-time SOCAN award-winning composer Aleksandras Stankevičius and his recent collaborative recordings with Kristina Kliorys, and to share our latest experiences. And if there‘s any doubt that there is a shortage of stars attending this seminar, allow me to inform you of the presence of virtuoso pianist and musical humorist Mr. Vytas Bakšys. His talents were noted in his early youth. Diligent work thereafter opened the doors to performance of musical works of various styles and genres throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. He has worked with numerous artists, conductors, and composers, such as Arthur Fiedler, Seiji Ozawa, Leonard Bernstein, Sir Simon Rattle, Leonard Rose, Yo-Yo Ma, Mstislav Rostropovich, Gil Shaham, John Williams, Stanislaw Skrowicesky, Oliver Knussen, Rafael Frübeck de Burgos, Chris Brubeck, and many others. Vytas considers himself a connoisseur of musical comedy. He is the founder and for eight years the director of the Stony Brook Anti-Musica ensemble, a group dedicated to musical spoofs and parodies. He will not only perform a concert, but he will also be our accompanist for all repertoire learning sessions.
During the choir directors‘ seminar we will truly be surrounded by stars, who make our communities and nation proud, who inspire us to achieve more, who fill our souls with beauty and goodness. So that we and our choir members will be able to delight thousands in attendance at the XI North American Lithuanian Song Festival.
These and other program events await you at Dainava. So register now, because it will be a gift to your soul. In addition there will be selfies with the stars.
