There is a saying that songs saved our countries during difficult historical times. Those songs have a lot of pride and love for nature, people and traditions. During this workshop, I will teach you a choir song from the Baltic states and hopefully, you will leave the session with a bit more understanding why singing together is so important to us and why a song from the Baltic states sounds so special.
Workshop leader Sigutė Žurauskaitė is a Lithuanian choir conductor, educator, and composer based in Groningen, The Netherlands. In 2019, she established the Baltic Choir which performs choral music from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, helping to introduce Baltic musical traditions to Dutch audiences. In 2024, she wrote a piece for Lithuania's biggest cultural event – the 'Song and Dance Festival'. It is called 'Sėjau linelius'. This piece was written for a quartet, choir, and percussion, and was performed with dancers as well.
One of her main focuses is the promotion of Lithuanian culture in The Netherlands. Her work often explores the social role of music, community choirs, and cross-cultural exchange.
Sigutė will use a mix of English and Dutch during this workshop. She will hand out sheet music, so some previous experience with choral singing is recommended.
