17th (2009)

THE SEVENTEENTH

The International Stasys Šimkus Choir Competition took place at the Concert Hall of the Faculty of Arts of Klaipėda University on October 15–18, 2009. A total of 15 collectives applied to participate: 2 children’s choirs, 3 youth choirs, 2 women’s choirs, 5 mixed choirs, and 3 vocal ensembles from Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, and Sweden. The Artistic Director and Executive Director of the competition was Assoc. Prof. Algirdas Šumskis, Chair of the Council of the Klaipėda City Choral Association “Aukuras”.

Renowned choral music specialists were invited to serve on the jury, including G. A. Rabus (Germany), President of the International Federation for Choral Music (Choral Festival Network), who chaired the jury.

The jury consisted of six members: G. A. Rabus (Germany) – Chair, Prof. Vytautas Miškinis (Lithuania), Hirvo Surva (Estonia), Assoc. Prof. Romāns Vanags (Latvia), Alfonsas Vildžiūnas (Lithuania), and Aurelija Žvinklytė (Lithuania) – Secretary.

Laureate titles were awarded as follows: in the mixed choirs category – the Česlovas Sasnauskas Choir of the Vilkaviškis Diocese Christian Culture Centre (conductor Mindaugas Radzevičius, Lithuania); in the equal-voice and youth choir categories, no first prizes were awarded; in the children’s choirs category, First Prize was awarded to the Klaipėda Vydūnas Secondary School Children’s Choir (conductor Arvydas Girdzijauskas, Lithuania); in the vocal ensembles category – the vocal ensemble “Balsai” (conductor Egidijus Kaveckas, Lithuania). These ensembles received First Degree Diplomas and cash prizes of €300.

The GRAND AMBER Prize and a €1,000 award were presented to the vocal ensemble “Balsai” (conductor Egidijus Kaveckas, Lithuania). The MINOR AMBER Prize and a €700 award were won by the Klaipėda Vydūnas Secondary School Children’s Choir (conductor Arvydas Girdzijauskas, Lithuania).

Special prizes were awarded as follows: the Lithuanian Folk Culture Centre Prize for the best performance of a work by a composer from one’s own country – to the Klaipėda Vydūnas Secondary School Children’s Choir (conductor Arvydas Girdzijauskas, Lithuania); the Lithuanian Association of Music Teachers Prize for the most valuable competition programme – to the academic choir “Podlipki” (conductor I. Jakovleva, Russian Federation); the Klaipėda City Municipality Department of Education Prize for the most valuable competition programme – to the Molėtai Mixed Vocal Ensemble “A Cappella” (conductor Violeta Zutkuvienė, Lithuania); the Klaipėda City Choral Association “Aukuras” Prize for the best performance of Juozas Naujalis’s Tristis est anima mea – to the Česlovas Sasnauskas Choir of the Vilkaviškis Diocese Christian Culture Centre (conductor Mindaugas Radzevičius, Lithuania); the Lithuanian Choral Union Prize for the performance of Lithuanian contemporary music – to the vocal ensemble “Balsai” (conductor Egidijus Kaveckas, Lithuania); the Klaipėda Stasys Šimkus Conservatory Prize for the best performance of works by Stasys Šimkus – to the youth mixed choir of Vilnius Jesuit Gymnasium (conductor Leonidas Abaris, Lithuania).

An additional Lithuanian Choral Union Prize for a successful debut at the International Stasys Šimkus Choir Competition was awarded to the Kaunas Mixed Choir “Saluto” (conductor Ramutė Štreimikytė, Lithuania).

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