Eighth Lithuanian Song Festival

History

SEVEN SONG FESTIVALS

Based on information gathered by Kazys Skaisgirys

First Song Festival - 1956

• The idea of hosting a Lithuanian Song Festival in the US originated at the annual meeting of the American Lithuanian Organist Society in 1953
• The goal was to revive the Song Festival tradition that had been started in Lithuania in the 1920’s
• The First Lithuanian Song Festival was held in 1956 at the Chicago Coliseum in Chicago, IL
• 34 adult choirs participated from across the US, resulting in combined choir of 1200 singers
• Audience attendance was about 9,000, filling the Coliseum to capacity
• The day of the Festival was extremely hot, reaching a temperature of 100 degrees
• A portion of the profit was allocated as seed money for the next Song Festival

Second Song Festival - 1961

• The Second Lithuanian Song Festival was held in 1961 at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, IL
• 23 adult choirs participated from across the US and Canada, resulting in combined choir of 1,000 singers
• Audience attendance was about 10,000

Third Song Festival - 1966

• The Third Lithuanian Song Festival was held in 1966 at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, IL
• 41 choirs participated from across the US and Canada, of these 16 were children’s choirs
• The Festival featured about 1,200 total singers
• Audience attendance was about 11,000

Fourth Song Festival - 1971

• The Fourth Lithuanian Song Festival was held in 1971 at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, IL
• 28 choirs participated from across the US and Canada
• The Festival featured about 950 singers, 500 of whom were children
• Audience attendance was about 10,000

Fifth Song Festival - 1978

• The Fifth Lithuanian Song Festival was held in 1978 at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario
• The Festival was coordinated in conjunction with the First Lithuanian World Days
• The organizing committee was based in Canada
• 51 choirs participated from across the US, Canada, and Australia
• The Festival featured about 1,400 singers
• Audience attendance was about 9,000
   

Sixth Song Festival - 1983

• The Sixth Lithuanian Song Festival was held in 1983 at the University of Illinois Pavilion in Chicago, IL
• The Festival was coordinated in conjunction with the Second Lithuanian World Days
• 33 adult choirs and 12 children’s choirs participated from across the US, Canada, and Australia
• The Festival featured about 1,400 singers
• Audience attendance was about 10,000
• The Festival attendees were welcomed by President Ronald Reagan via live phone link from the White House
• Illinois Senator Charles Percy was in attendance
   

Seventh Song Festival - 1991

• The Seventh Lithuanian Song Festival was held in 1991 at the University of Illinois Pavilion in Chicago, IL
• 22 adult choirs and 9 children’s choirs participated from across the US, Canada, and Australia
• Select Lithuanian folk dances were integrated into the program and were performed by 200 dancers
• The Festival featured about 1,100 total performers
• Audience attendance was about 6,000
• Actress Ann Jillian (of Lithuanian descent) was the invited Master of Ceremonies

Since 1991 - Song Festivals in Lithuania

• Since Lithuania reestablished independence in 1990 people from across the world (including US and Canada) have traveled to Lithuania to participate in the World Lithuanian Song Festivals
• The World Lithuanian Song Festivals have been held in 1994, 1998, and 2003 in the capital city of Vilnius
• The World Lithuanian Festivals feature a choir of about 5,000 singers from Lithuania as well as representative contingents from other countries
• The US and Canadian contingent for the first Festival in 1994 numbered over 500 singers.

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