A special Sunday evening: Lithuania's best boys choir, Dagilėlis, and the country's top mixed choir, Bel Canto Choir Vilnius, come together for the first time in Vilnius. They will be joined by the choir's friend, Norwegian singer and guitarist Marius Beck. The event will feature a delightful lineup of modern choral pieces, popular music adaptations, and festive Christmas tunes.
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius presents a special evening in Vilnius – the closing act of the Open To The World 2023 Vocal Music Festival. On Sunday, December 10, at 7 pm, more than 80 singers from both choirs will perform a diverse and atmospheric musical program at the Vilnius Philharmonic. The concert will also feature pianist Motiejus Bazaras, a string quartet led by Augustas Gocentas, and solo roles by choir singers Mindaugas Rumšas (saxophone), Justinas Stanevičius, and Agnė Bagdonavičienė (vocals).
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius’ First Encounter with the Talented Dagilėlis
Dagilėlis is the best boys choir in Lithuania. It uniquely combines different styles of music and is distinguished by its emotional performances. The ensemble has garnered significant international acclaim, frequently performing abroad and consistently emerging triumphant in various international competitions. Functioning as a singing school, Dagilėlis significantly contributes to boys education and Lithuania’s education framework in general.
The choir prepares a lively festive program for the Vilnius audience. A special highlight of it will be the choir's flagship rendition of the well-known piece "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." In this performance, the singers skillfully emulate the sounds of nature and the inhabitants of the jungle, complemented by artful choreography. Notably, this Dagilėlis performance has garnered over 6 million views on YouTube alone.
A Passion for Modern Choral Music and Experiments
The Bel Canto Choir Vilnius program will include works by the world’s most famous contemporary composers, such as Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, Ola Gjeilo, and Lithuanian composer Donatas Zakaras. Additionally, the choir will perform several popular music arrangements.
This time, the choir will surprise the audience with a striking choreography to accompany composer Jake Runestad’s energetic Nyon Nyon and Billy Joel’s famous River Of Dreams. Paulius Šinkūnas created the choreography for the choir.
A Lasting Bond: Bel Canto Choir Vilnius‘ Enduring Friendship with Marius Beck
The friendship between Norwegian vocalist and guitarist Marius Beck and Bel Canto Choir Vilnius began in 2018. Since then, they have given several performances together, and Marius has even contributed to the recording of the choir’s album, Open To The World.
Significant achievements have marked Marius Beck's musical journey. A finalist in the "The Voice Norway" competition in 2012, he also shared the stage with renowned Eric Whitacre at the iTunes Festival and released his solo album, showcasing his distinctive vocal style and proficient acoustic guitar skills.
In this concert, Bel Canto Choir Vilnius and Marius Beck will perform several pieces together, arranged by another choir friend, Swedish composer Henrik Dahlgren.
A One-Of-A-Kind Evening in Vilnius: 80 Singers from Dagilėlis & Bel Canto Choir Vilnius at the Cozy Philharmonic
The concert will feature a spectacular finale, with a special highlight being the treasure of Ukrainian heritage, the song “Shchedryk.” Both choirs will perform this song together as a call to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom.
“Shchedryk,” tells the story of a swallow who flies into a man’s house and, with its song, tells him of a rich and beautiful life when spring comes. Composed of a four-part archaic motif, “Shchedryk” was arranged in 1916 by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. Its melody later found new life in the English Christmas song “Carol of the Bells,” now an integral part of festive repertoire worldwide.
The Bel Canto Choir Vilnius first performed “Shchedryk” in 2010. The song's recording remains the most popular on the choir’s Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube channels and has been used on the soundtracks of several films. One such film is the biographical drama “Sisi & Ich,” which debuted at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
Artists & Performers
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius (artistic director & conductor Milda Švelnienė)
Dagilėlis Boys Choir (artistic director & conductor Remigijus Adomaitis)
Marius Beck (vocal & guitar)
Motiejus Bazaras (piano)
String Quartet led by Augustas Gocentas
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius’ artistic director Milda Švelnienė, choirmasters Raminta Gocentienė and Stasė Žaltauskaitė-Malūnavičienė, vocal coaches Eglė Stundžiaitė and Eimantas Bešėnas. "Open To The World" and choir producer Audrius Valatkevičius.
