“The mighty choir!” – that’s the message from the team announcing registration of choirs for the upcoming North American Lithuanian Song Festival, June 27-29, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
It’s been nearly 10 years since the last song festival, which took place in 2015. In one’s personal life or in the life of a choir, that is a long period of time. During that time, some grew closer, some drifted away from Lithuanian activities. The worldwide covid pandemic, by and large, brought all choral activity to a standstill. Some choirs continued their activity the entire time. Other choirs resumed their activities only for festivals or larger events. In addition some individual choir members learned the repertoire remotely and then participated in their choir’s events.
Let’s respond to this invitation from the song festival organizers – all of us who enjoy singing and wish to experience the unique energy of a song festival. All of us who wish to free our minds with the sound of music. All of us who wish to create a unifying and meaningful experience for ourselves and our listeners – which nurtures and expands our cultural heritage.
Registration of choirs is vital for the organizers at this time for a number of reasons: preparation of repertoire songbooks and recordings, as well as logistical information required for the upcoming choir directors’ seminar.
But more importantly, scholars throughout the ages have said that singing, especially group singing, provides health benefits to people of all ages: children, youth, and adults. Here are just a few:
Choir – energy
Choir – community
Choir – youth and enthusiasm
Choir – all for one
Choir – creativity & artistic expression
Choir – personal well-being
Choir – tradition & a source of knowledge
Choir – positive emotions
Choir – meditation
Choir – focus
Choir – responsibility & pride
Choir – concerts, road trips, unforgettable experiences… and lots of selfies
Choir – self-confidence
Choir – self-improvement
Choir – unity
Choir – who I am
Choir – a family I can depend on
Choir – STRENGTH!
Let‘s register, sing, and participate in the XI North American Lithuanian Song Festival 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The festival will renew and remind us all of the most important values of our grandparents, parent, aunts, and uncles – the feeling in our hearts that we are one with Lithuania, that we are „One family – One nation“. The mighty choir!
