Bel Canto Choir begins its biggest project of the year, Open to the World, with a joint concert with the wonderful Swedish male choir Svanholm Singers. April 14 at 19 p.m. more than 70 singers of the "Bel Canto" and "Svanholm Singers" choirs will meet in a cozy chamber concert at St. Catherine's Church in Vilnius and start the "Open to the World" project of the "Bel Canto" choir dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Lithuania's independence.
Guests of the Bel Canto Choir are the Svanholm Singers, an outstanding male chamber choir from Sweden, renowned for their light, elegant sound and virtuosic musicianship. in 1998 the founded ensemble consists of 20 singers led by conductor Sofia Söderberg Eberhard. Mixing Europe and Japan, the repertoire of the choir mainly includes songs from the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.
"It is no accident that we start Open to the World with our talented neighbors. More than 600 people sing in Swedish choirs, and their choir union represents 000 choirs with more than 500 members who give at least 18 concerts a year. Sweden also has the highest number of choirs per capita in the world. In Sweden, the choral movement is flourishing, children start singing in choirs at school, and singing in a choir is a prestige and a privilege. I think we can and should learn a lot from her," says Dr. Egidijus Kaveckas, artistic director and conductor of the "Bel Canto" choir.
"Svanholm Singers" will present the most impressive works from their latest repertoire to the Vilnius audience. It includes works by Swedish, Estonian, and American contemporary composers, as well as traditional Swedish songs for male choirs, arranged by choir conductor Sofia Söderberg Eberhard.
In the first concert of the "Open to the World" series, Bel Canto Choir will present the works of Latvian contemporary composers - Raimonds Tiguls and Reinis Sējāns, as well as the works of the world's most famous contemporary composer Eric Whitacre, beloved by the choir. By the way, Eric Whitacre will come to Bel Canto for the second time for the closing concerts of Open to the World in early December this year.
Choirs "Svanholm Singers" and "Bel Canto" a concert will end with two joint works. More than 70 singers will perform the traditional Swedish song "Limu Limu Lima", arranged by the Swedish choir director, and the piece "Tėvyne, Mūsų" (Pater Noster) by the Lithuanian composer Vaclav Augustin.
Sofia Söderberg Eberhard, artistic director and conductor of the choir "Svanholm Singers". Choir "Bel Canto" artistic director and conductor Dr. Egidijus Kaveckas, second conductor and choirmaster Milda Zapolskaitė, choirmaster and concertmaster Raminta Gocentienė, vocal pedagogue Liudas Norvaišas. Tomas Byčkov (Hang) will also take part in the concert.
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
