14th (2003)

THE FOURTEENTH

The International Stasys Šimkus Choir Competition took place at the Concert Hall of the Faculty of Arts of Klaipėda University on October 17–19, 2003. A total of 18 ensembles applied to participate: 3 children’s choirs, 5 youth choirs, 5 women’s choirs, and 5 mixed choirs from Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Estonia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Poland. Unfortunately, no men’s choirs participated.

Renowned choral music specialists were invited to serve on the jury: Prof. A. Sööt (Estonia) – Chair, Prof. Fabijonas Sereika (Lithuania), Romāns Vanags (Latvia), Gintautas Venislovas (Lithuania), Assoc. Prof. Zita Kariniauskienė (Lithuania), with lecturer Judita Kiaulakytė (Lithuania) serving as Secretary.

In the children’s category, the highest evaluation (First Prize) was awarded to the Liepāja Emīls Melngailis Girls’ Choir (conductor A. Kontauts, Latvia). In the youth category, the girls’ choir Sapnis of Riga State Secondary School No. 1 (conductor I. Rismane, Latvia) received the highest evaluation, but no First Prize was awarded. In the women’s choirs category, the Foerster Choir from the Czech Republic (conductor L. Vasilek) proved unrivalled and was awarded First Prize. In the mixed choirs category, First Prize was awarded to the Česlovas Sasnauskas Choir of the Vilkaviškis Diocese Christian Culture Centre (conductor Mindaugas Radzevičius, Lithuania).

The GRAND AMBER Prize was awarded to the J. B. Foerster Chamber Women’s Choir (conductor L. Vasilek, Czech Republic), while the SMALL AMBER Prize went to the Liepāja Emīls Melngailis Girls’ Choir (conductor A. Kontauts, Latvia).

Special prizes were awarded as follows: the traditional prize established by Stasys Šimkus’s sons Algis and Neris for the best performance of Stasys Šimkus’s work Nakties tylumoj (“In the Stillness of the Night”) – to the Česlovas Sasnauskas Choir of the Vilkaviškis Diocese Christian Culture Centre (conductor Mindaugas Radzevičius, Lithuania); the prize of the Lithuanian Folk Culture Centre for the best performance of works by composers from one’s own country – to the J. B. Foerster Women’s Choir (conductor L. Vasilek, Czech Republic); the prize of the Lithuanian Association of Music Teachers for the best youth choir – to the girls’ choir Sapnis of Riga State Secondary School No. 1 (conductor I. Rismane, Latvia); the prize of the Klaipėda City Municipality Department of Education for the most valuable competition program in the children’s choir category – to the Liepāja Emīls Melngailis Girls’ Choir (conductor A. Kontauts, Latvia); the prize of the Klaipėda City Choral Association Aukuras for the best performance of the compulsory works – to the J. B. Foerster Chamber Women’s Choir (conductor L. Vasilek, Czech Republic). The prize of the Klaipėda Stasys Šimkus Conservatory for the best performance of other works by Stasys Šimkus was not awarded to any ensemble, by decision of the jury.

Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssimkusicc
Insatgram: https://www.instagram.com/ssimkusicc
YouTube: http://youtube.com/@ssimkusicc