Gabija Petrauskas, “ANACRUSIS” ─ 2010 Spring
JULY 2-4, 2010 in TORONTO, Ontario
Concert: Sunday, July 4th @ 2 p.m.
Hershey Centre, Mississauga, Ontario
In 2003, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed the traditional Song and Dance Festivals of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania as masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It is therefore a privilege for the Lithuanian-Canadian community of Toronto to host the 9th Lithuanian Song Festival outside of Lithuania, in Toronto/Mississauga during this summer’s July long-weekend (July 2-4th) and to invite everyone to attend this rare event.
The very first Lithuanian song festival was organized in Lithuania in 1924 and the tradition has continued approximately every 5 years for the past 86 years. During this time, 17 song festivals have taken place. Following the occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union after World War II, the tradition continued in occupied Lithuania. The first Song Festival organized outside of Lithuania took place in 1956 in Chicago, Illinois. This was the first of 8 Lithuanian Song Festivals produced outside of Lithuania over the past 54 years. All took place in Chicago except for one – the 1978 Festival was held in Toronto, Ontario. So, after 32 years, the 9th Lithuanian Song Festival is once again being held in Toronto.
To date, 1030 choir singers between the ages of 5 to 85 from across North America have registered to sing in the Festival Choir. In addition, we are expecting choirs from Poland, the United Kingdom and 3 choirs from Lithuania. 310 singers are Canadian and 675 are from the US. 260 are children, 200 are students/young adults and 570 are adults. The Festival Choir will truly be a multi-generational choir.
The singers come from 46 amateur choirs whose memberships range from 12 to 89 choristers. The Canadian contingent has attracted choristers from across Canada. They are coming from Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, from Toronto, London, Hamilton, and Ottawa in Ontario, and from Montreal in Quebec. The US contingent has singers coming from: Kansas, Minnesota, San Francisco, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, etc. One singer is coming from Melbourne, Australia and is learning the repertoire through individual lessons from the local choirmaster with the help of pre-recorded learning tapes posted on the Song Festival’s website.
These learning tapes allow for consistency in the preparatory work. The final dress rehearsal takes place for one full day only, on the Saturday before the Song Festival Concert. This method of having learning tapes on the website, was tested and proven successful in preparing for the 8th Song Festival in 2006 in Chicago, Illinois. In addition, a year in advance of the Festival, all the Choirmasters gather for a workshop to read and test the chosen songs. It is truly a wonder how the cacophony of the dress rehearsal results in the wondrous sounds of the concert next day!
Interpretation is key as the Principal Artistic Director, Dalia Viskontas’ vision for the 9th Song Festival centres around the cycles enveloping us: the cycles of the sun, the day, and the cycles of life. The theme was inspired by the late Jonas Govedas’ original song written for children’s voices titled: “I am the Song”. The emblem of the Festival (captured in the image above), for that reason, is the sun. Flowing from light to darkness to light again in a never-ending rhythm – it influences the cycles of nature and the days of man. Every song (37 in all), newly created (there will be 8 original works) or selected for the program, develops these themes and tells a story. The Festival Choir will be accompanied by the 40 piece Hannaford Band from Toronto. To quote Ms. Viskontas: “We are working together to share a Festival of wonderful song, music and joy!”
So…come join us in this adventure and witness this masterpiece of oral history on July 4th and 2PM at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. For additional information about the Festival and for ticket info please go to: www.lithuaniansongfest.org or to Ticketmaster.
