Counting down to the last weeks of the year, the "Keep Singing" festival, inspired by the legendary Lithuanian creator Jonas Mekos, will once again vibrate the capital. Combining improvisational music with various art forms event - as if a particle in New York's Vilnius.
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Reflections of New York's Musical LifeThe festival involves creators of different generationsR. Kačkutė: "The festival reminds me of Meko's creative drive"
December 13-14 The "Keep Singing" festival, held for the fourth time in the House of the Signatories of the Lithuanian National Museum (Pilies st. 26) and the first Vilnius music hall "Estradà" (Vilniaus st. 22), will present 11 intriguing musical performances in two days. There is also a program of short films by Jon Mekos, an audiovisual installation "Monteverdi Comes Alive", and the evenings will end with an open stage for all those who want to play music.
Reflections of New York's Musical Life
According to composer Gintaras Sodeika, head of the Jonas Mekas Center for Visual Arts, which organizes the Keep Singing festival, the creative core of the festival is the musicians formed by the experimental environment and freedom of New York's music and art, who participated in various creative activities together with Jonas Mekas: the soul of the festival and one of the artistic directors Dalius Naujokaitis-Naujo, drum orchestra Kenny Wollesen, saxophone master Jonathon Haffner, multi-instrumentalist Eugenijus Varkalis and others.
"These musicians, who will gather creators of various generations and improvisational music performers around them on the stage at the festival, bring a piece of the lively action of New York's lower Manhattan, and along with it, Jon Mek's inspiration to create, experiment and share music and art with others, just enjoy every day and to sing, even if it is difficult", says G. Sodeika.
As usual, the always surprising artist Simonas Nekrošius will start the festival with homemade electroacoustic instruments. Of course, performances will be organized by guests from New York, who will also form unexpected creative combinations with other musicians. One of these is the group of contract singers "Řatara".
The festival involves creators of different generations
"DeeeVeee" duo of Mexican Diana Fonseca and Viltė Gustytė, who live in Berlin, promises to transport the festival listeners between dimensions. The trio "Luvhurts", formed a few years ago by the composer and jazz performer Mantvydas Leon Pranulis, will also perform.
The festival will also be the stage for the debut of drummer Rasa Vaštakaitė's new group "Dvasia" and flutist Mēta Gabrielė Pelegrimaitė-Kaupinė's solo project "Šalna". Traditionally, the performances will be organized by the ensembles of Dalius Naujos specially assembled for each festival - this time "Keep Singing Big Band" and "Keep Singing Ensemble", bringing together a wide group of musicians from different generations.
Keep Singing maintains the tradition of presenting Jon Mek's films every year. This time, it will be possible to see a carefully selected program of short films by the artist, who is considered the pioneer of experimental cinema.
A novelty of the festival is the night program "Estrãda" extending the main program at the LNM Signature House. "Quark Effect" and "Fleitų 3", which are already well known to our audience, will appear here. Both evenings will be followed by a jam session - an open stage for everyone who wants to play music.
Also, during the entire festival, the audiovisual installation "Monteverdi Comes Alive" will be exhibited in the newly restored space of the Signatories House - the Gothic cellars. While researching the legacy of Jurgis Mačiūnas, the outlines of a device designed by the artist for composing music in automatic mode were unexpectedly discovered. After deciphering the texts and surviving drawings, the Jonas Mekos Visual Arts Center has restored J. Mačiūnas's music generator, thanks to which we can hear the images.
R. Kačkutė: "The festival reminds me of Meko's creative drive"
According to Rūta Kačkūta, general director of the Lithuanian National Museum, which organizes the festival together, "Keep Singing" in the spaces of the Signatori House is an opportunity to experience the free, modern, avant-garde spirit of Jonas Mekos, and the content of the festival is not only playful, but also intellectual.
"The festival not only inspires the spirit of New York - how good it is to feel like New York in Vilnius!" - but also reminds us of Jonas Mekos' creative drive, ability to connect different art forms and people. This festival is a unique opportunity for the Vilnius audience to experience the freedom of improvisational music, the creative creativity inspired by Jonas Mekos, and the sense of community, which is so important both in Meko's legacy and in the creation of a common state, and after all, the House of Signatories tells about the foundations of her creativity," says the Lithuanian National museum manager Rūta Kačkutė.
Keep Singing artistic directors Dalius Naujokaitis-Naujo and Mindaugas Vadoklis assure that the festival inspired by Jonas Mekos will be a source of strong impressions as the biggest holidays of the year approach: "Although there are many events in December, this festival is a great opportunity to recharge with positive energy, play music and listen to like-minded people in music in the squad, and at the same time to symbolically celebrate the upcoming birthday of Jonas Mekos!"
