Competition program and schedule
THE PROGRAMME AND SCHEDULE OF THE 24th INTERNATIONAL STASYS ŠIMKUS CHOIRS COMPETITION
2026 05 28. Thursday
Arrival of participants
Registration from 14.00 in the competition’s secretariat
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
18.30 – Opening Ceremony and Concert of the Competition
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
Participating: choirs of the competition participants, competition guests
2026 05 29. Friday
Arrival of participants
Registration from 9.00 in the competition’s secretariat
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
Round 1 of the competition
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
10.00 – Children choir’s competition (Category D)
10.05–10.20 – Children choir “Lielvarde”, choir leaders Evita Konusa and Baiba Klepere (Latvia)
10.25–10.40 – Aglona Basilica Choir School Choir for Grades 4–9, choir leaders Juta Kondavniece and Inga Agloniete (Latvia)
10.45–11.00 – Children’s choir “Gloria” of the Zhytomyr music school named After Borys Liatoshynskyi, choir leader Nataliia Klymenko (Ukraine)
11.05–11.20 – Jelgava 4th secondary school girls choir “Spīgo studija”, choir leader Līga Anševica (Latvia)
11.20–11.30 – Break
11.30 – School choir’s competition (Category C)
11.30–11.45 – The Boys Choir of the practice sector of the National Musical Academy of Ukraine, choir leader Alla Sheiko (Ukraine)
11.50–12.05 – Jūrmala State Gymnasium Mixed Choir “Sudrabs”, choir leaders Rihards Anstrangs and Daina Frīdenberga (Latvia)
12.05–12.15 – Break
12.15 – Equal voice choir’s competition (Category B)
12.15–12.30 – Female Choir of the University of Latvia “Minjona”, choir leader Evija Vanaga (Latvia)
12.35–12.50 – Vilnius Cultural Center Women's Choir “Liepos”, choir leader Audronė Steponavičiūtė-Zupkauskienė (Lithuania)
13.00–15.00 – Break
15.00 – Vocal ensemble’s competition (Category F1)
15.05–15.20 – Male vocal ensemble “Popule Meus”, leader Ramūnas Baranauskas (Lithuania)
15.20 – Folk choir’s competition (Category G)
15.25–15.40 – Galician Chamber Choir “Yevshan”, choir leader Iryna Kreslenko (Ukraine)
15.45–16.00 – Сhoral group of the folk song and dance ensemble “Rozmaі” named after L. Kuzheliuk, of Volyn National University, choir leader Orest Shynkaruk (Ukraine)
18.00 – Announcement of the results for categories B, C, D, F, G
The results will be published on the competition website www.aukuras.org/simkus
19.00 – Competition participants’ concerts
2026 05 30. Saturday
Arrival of participants
Registration from 9.00 in the competition’s secretariat
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
Round 1 of the competition | Mixed choir’s competition (Category A)
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
9.30 – Mixed choir’s competition (Category A)
9.35–9.50 – Mixed choir “Ventspils”, choir leader Aigars Meri (Latvia)
9.55–10.10 – University of Latvia, Faculty of Science and Technology mixed choir “Aura”, choir leader Edgars Vītols, Latvia;
10.15–10.30 – Academic Choir “Cantica Laetitia” of the Faculty of Technology, Tomas Bata University in Zlín, choir leader Tereza Surovíková (Czech Republic)
10.35–10.50 – Emīls Dārziņš Mixed Choir, choir Conductor‘s Rihards Lapiņš, Jēkabs Krists Kalniņš, Eremijs Sējāns (Latvia)
10.55–11.10 – Mixed choir „Ogre”, choir leader Jānis Lapsa, Latvia;
11.10–11.20 – Break
11.20–11.35 – The Choir of the Faculty of Culture and Arts at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University, choir leader Kateryna Tokalo (Ukraine)
11.40–11.55 – Mixed choir “Muklājs”, choir leader Jānis Kokins (Latvia)
12.00–12.15 – Galician Chamber Choir “Yevshan”, choir leader Iryna Kreslenko (Ukraine)
12.15–14.00 – Break
Konkurso I turas / Round 1 of the competition | Sacred music competition (Category E)
(Klaipėda Church of Mary, Queen of Peace, Rumpiškės str. 6, Klaipėda)
14.00 – Sacred music competition (Category E)
14.00–14.15 – Female Choir of the University of Latvia „Minjona“, choir leader Evija Vanaga (Latvia)
14.20–14.35 – Vilnius Cultural Center Women's Choir „Liepos“, choir leader Audronė Steponavičiūtė-Zupkauskienė (Lithuania)
14.40–14.55 – Emīls Dārziņš Mixed Choir, Latvia, choir Conductor‘s Rihards Lapiņš, Jēkabs Krists Kalniņš, Eremijs Sējāns (Latvia)
15.00–15.15 – Chamber Choir “Atžalynas” of the Šiauliai Cultural Centre, choir leader Mindaugas Žalalis (Lithuania)
15.20–15.35 – Mixed choir “Muklājs”, choir leader Jānis Kokins (Latvia)
15.35–15.45 – Break
15.45–16.00 – Church Chamber Choir “Credo”, choir leader Kateryna Tokalo (Ukraine)
16.05–16.20 – Mixed choir „Ogre”, choir leader Jānis Lapsa (Latvia)
16.25–16.40 – Galician Chamber Choir “Yevshan”, choir leader Iryna Kreslenko (Ukraine)
16.45–17.00 – Vilnius Sacred Music Choir „Adoramus“, choir leader Imantas Jonas Šimkus (Lithuania)
17.05–17.20 – Vilnius Bernardine Church Choir “Langas”, choir leader Gabrielius Gaidamavičius (Lithuania)
20.30 – Announcement of the results for categories A, E
The results will be published on the competition website www.aukuras.org/simkus
19.00 – Competition participants’ concerts
20.30 – Evening of the partticipatns of the competition
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
2026 05 31. Sunday
9.30 – The seminar for the choir leaders and guests, meeting of the choir leaders and the Jury members, and a discussion named “Topicality of our choral life”
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
12.00 – GRAND PRIX: Great Amber Prize competition (Round 2 of the competition)
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
15.00 – The participants’ concert “Friends to friends”
The concert is attended by in the presence of all the choirs
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
16.00 – Announcement of the results, awarding of special prizes in all categories
The Great and the Minor Amber Prizes awarding. Laureates’ concert.
The competition’s closing ceremony
(Klaipėda concert hall, Šaulių str. 36, Klaipėda)
P.S. Schedule may change.