Fifth
1978 Toronto
Author: Kazys Skaisgirys
English translation: Rita Giedraitis
The fifth Lithuanian Song Festival took place in Toronto, Canada, on July 2, 1978, at the Maple Leaf Gardens. It coincided with other Lithuanian events, namely Lithuanian World Days and various sport competitions. Lithuanian song enthusiasts, living in Canada, took the initiative to organize the Song Festival in their country, and this was reflected in its official title – The Fifth Canadian and American Lithuanian Song Festival (giving Canada prominence in the title). The organizing committee members were all Canadian Lithuanians; only the repertoire committee had some members from the United States.
This Song Festival also marked the introduction of several important additions: a Song Festival flag, a joint psaltery (kankles) performance, a Lithuanian choir from Australia (Melbourne), and a symphony orchestra to accompany the Festival’s choirs. Approximately 1,400 singers from 51 choirs participated in the Song Festival. Among the 51 choirs were 10 choirs from Canada.
The Honorary Conductors for this Festival were Alice Stephens and Stasys Gailevičius. Other conductors included: Aloyzas Jurgutis, Alfonsas Mikulskis, Jonas Govėdas, Faustas Strolia, Vaclovas Verikaitis, and Bronius Budriūnas. The psaltery group leader was Ona Mikulskienė. An ensemble of various Lithuanian folk instruments accompanied several songs. Soloist Gina Čapkauskienė was featured in the performance of B. Budriūnas’s composition,”Mano Protėvių Žemė” (“My Ancestor’s Homeland”), by the joint adult choirs.
The chairman of the fifth Lithuanian Song Festival’s organizing committee was Jonas R. Simanavičius, who was also in charge of the Lithuanian World Days. Other organizing committee members were: Fr. Augustinas Simanavičius, J. Virgelienė, Vaclovas Verikaitis, L. Skripkutė, Aldona Jankaitienė, Stasys Gailevičius, R. Celejewska, Ada Jucienė, Česlovas Senkevičius, Stasys Prakapas, Kazys Mileris, Jonas Govėdas, Eugenijus Kriščiūnas, Vytautas Taseckas, Vytautas Aušrotas, Miras Chainauskas, V. Dauginis, Juozas Karasiejus, Jonas Andrulis, Dr. Vaidotas Kvedaras, Vytautas Bireta, Marija Vasiliauskienė, Algis Juzukonis, Žibutė Šilininkaitė, and Lilija Pacevičienė. Several of the listed members became chairpersons of various subcommittees. The Song Festival’s program publication was edited by journalist Česlovas Senkevičius and financed through the Festival’s organizing committee; its cover was created by artist Jurgis Račkus.
In a review of the fifth Lithuanian Song Festival, musician Algis Šimkus wrote:
The organizing and repertoire committees took into account that there were a significant number of choirs organized solely for the purpose of participating in the Song Festival and thus would have difficulty performing musically demanding compositions. Therefore, they settled on a repertoire of simpler songs. A pleasant addition to the program was a performance by the Lithuanian Folk Instrument Ensemble, led by A. Mikulskis, of his composed rhapsody "Ant Nemuno Kranto" ("On the Banks of the Nemunas River"). Furthermore, some repertoire songs were accompanied by an Estonian Pipe Orchestra and a symphony orchestra of professional musicians assembled for this purpose as well. These were significant and positive additions as well. Though the fifth Lithuanian Song Festival was not artistically outstanding, it had enough exceptional moments to be viewed as an overall success. No doubt many Lithuanians left Toronto with a renewed pride in their nationality and Lithuania‘s culture. I personally witnessed a lady, married to a non-Lithuanian and reluctlantly attending this Song Festival, verbally share that she is proud to call herself a Lithuanian.