Second
1961 Chicago
Author: Kazys Skaisgirys
English translation: Rita Giedraitis
The second Lithuanian Song Festival was sponsored by the Lithuanian American Community and the Lithuanian Canadian Community. The $2500 allocated for future song festivals from profits from the first Lithuanian Song Festival provided a solid financial foundation for organizers of the second song festival.
The organizing committee for the second Lithuanian Song Festival was as follows: Prelate Ignas Albavičius – chairman, Vytautas Radžius, Teodoras Blinstrubas, Justas Kudirka, Jonas Paštukas, Stasys Daunys, Jonas Zdanius, and Jonas Jasaitis. The repertoire committee members were: Vladas Jakubėnas – chairman, Aleksandras Aleksis, Bronius Budriūnas, Albinas Dzirvonas, Julius Gaidelis, Juozas Kreivėnas, Justas Kudirka, Bruno Markaitis, SJ, Alfonsas Mikulskis, Antanas Nakas, Stepas Sodeika, Alice Stephens, Kazys Steponavičius, Algis Šimkus, Jonas Zdanius, and Juozas Žilevičius. The organizing committee was assisted by several other committees assembled for various tasks.
The second Lithuanian Song Festival took place on July 2, 1961 at the International Amphitheater in Chicago, Ill. The honorary conductor was Aleksandras Aleksis. Taking the conductor’s baton from Juozas Žilevičius, honorary conductor of the first Lithuanian Song Festival, A. Aleksis conducted the American and Lithuanian national anthems. Other conductors during the second Lithuanian Song Festival were: Alfonsas Mikulskis, Kazys Steponavičius, Alice Stephens, Bronius Budriūnas, Stepas Sodeika, and Julius Gaidelis. The accompanists were Stasys Gailevičius and Vladas Jakubėnas. Approximately 1,000 singers from 23 choirs participated in the song festival, which was attended by more than 10,000 people. Juzė Daužvardienė was the program’s master of ceremonies. Stasys Daunys and Jonas Zdanius prepared the publication of the song festival’s program (for which Algirdas Kurauskas illustrated the cover).
Music critic Vladas Jakubėnas reviewed the second Lithuanian Song Festival for the journal “Aidai”. The following are several excerpts from his article:
A Lithuanian Song Festival cannot, in essence, be held to the same strict standards of a classical or other style concert; rather, it should be viewed as an expression of cultural and national unity through song. Thus, songs in the repertoire of such festivals are more traditional than artistic, and ultimately serve to stir emotions for the singers and the public. The participating choirs, living in the more technologically advanced countries of America and Canada, sounded better trained and smoother in their delivery than before; their intonations and rhythms had also improved. This was especially evident in the presentation of new and more complicated songs, such as Bertulis’s "Pabusk, Pasauli" ("Awake, World") and Jakubėnas’s "Tremtinių ir Išvežtųjų Giesmė" ("Hymn of the Exiled"). In the opinion of many, this latter song was the most impressive one in the festival’s repertoire. The song's lyricist, B. Budriūnas, and P. Gaučas, stated that this song could be renamed "Lietuvių Tautos Psalmė" ("Psalm of Lithuania"). It was expressively conducted by B. Budriūnas and surprisingly well sung by the joint choirs. The success of these two songs is evidence of the strides our Lithuanian choirs have made in the United States and Canada. The Song Festival choirs were accompanied by two pianos, played by pianists Stasys Gailevičius and Vladas Jakubėnas. Some songs, at the requests of their conductors, were sung a capella; others had special accompaniments written for two pianos. The musical part of the second Lithuanian Song Festival was positively received by the participants and the audience. Understandably, not everyone uniformly liked all the songs or the conductors; however, the general consensus was that this second Lithuanian Song Festival was a success, and probably better than hoped for. Most complaints about the song festival were directed toward the organizational side, specifically that there were too many speeches and they were too long. Nevertheless, the second Lithuanian Song Festival was truly a great achievement; its memories will strengthen our national pride and resolve to continue organizing more Lithuanian cultural events outside the boundaries of our homeland.