The Bel Canto Choir begins its biggest project of the year, Open to the World, with joint concerts with its talented neighbors - the wonderful Swedish choirs Svanholm Singers, Sofia Vokalensemble and the star of contemporary choral music from Norway, Ola Gjeilo. The "Bel Canto" choir will start celebrating the 100th anniversary of Lithuania's independence on April 14. in a cozy chamber concert in St. Catherine's Church with his friends from the Swedish choir "Svanholm Singers", and on May 19 At the Lithuanian National Philharmonic, he will meet his friends from the Swedish choir "Sofia Vokalensemble" and composer Ola Gjeilo.
The second "Open to the World" concert at the Philharmonic will also be attended by the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra (artistic director Sergej Krylov), soloist Lina Dambrauskaitė (soprano), other musicians, and Ola Gjeilo himself will play the piano.
"I am glad that after three years of friendship, Ola Gjeilo finally decided to visit our choir and organize a joint a concert In Vilnius. One of today's most popular choral composers, he creates light, sensitive, easy-to-listen choral music that is performed by thousands of choirs in the world's most famous concert halls. I am especially happy that our wonderful friends, one of Sweden's best choirs, the Sofia Vokalensemble, are also coming to visit us. Their musicality and vocals enchant and leave no one indifferent. Imagine what will happen at the Philharmonic, when Ola Gjeilo's special "Sunrise Mass" written in the style of movie music will be performed by more than 80 singers of ours and the Swedish choir and the Lithuanian chamber orchestra", says Dr. Egidijus Kaveckas, artistic director of the choir "Bel Canto", conducting more than a hundred singers and musicians.
It is no coincidence that we start Open to the World with concerts with friends from Sweden and the wonderful music maker Ola Gjeilo. In Sweden and Norway, the choral movement is flourishing, children start singing in choirs at school and singing in a choir is a prestige and a privilege, not a shame. That is why Swedish choirs are among the best in the world and dictate global trends in choral art. Consistent attention, investments in musicality, creativity, and community have made our neighbor in the North one of the leaders in the global music industry. I think we can and should learn a lot from her," says Audrius Valatkevičius, president of the Bel Canto choir.
Bel Canto Choir's musical project "Open to the World" is a series of 5 concerts dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the State of Lithuania. At the Open to the World concerts, the Bel Canto Choir will perform together with the world's most famous contemporary composers, Eric Whitacre (JAV) and Ola Gjeilo (USA/Norway), the best Swedish choirs Svanholm Singers and Sofia Vokalensemble, the elite vocal ensemble VOCES8 (UK) and the wonderful Swiss choir Männerstimmen Basel.
The goal of the project is to present the best in the world to the Lithuanian audience, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the State of Lithuania with them, to be, create, make music and improve together.
All information about Open to the World: https://chorasbelcanto.lt/open-to-the-world
