On September 2 at 19:00, in the Church of St. Johns, the choirs of Vilnius University (VU) invite audiences to a unique evening where two worlds meet – African American spirituals and Lithuanian sacred and folk choral music. This is not merely a concert, but an emotional journey leading from the deepest corners of the human soul to an uplifting spiritual summit.
At the heart of the program are spirituals – African American sacred songs whose roots reach back to the era of slavery. These are voices of pain and hope that, over centuries, have taken on a refined musical form and become the foundation for genres such as blues, jazz, and soul. The works will be performed a cappella, prepared and conducted by U.S. conductor Ira Spaulding, who has led masterclasses for all three VU choirs – Pro Musica, Virgo, and Gaudeamus.
The evening’s repertoire will feature some of the most moving interpretations of spirituals, including I've Been ‘Buked (arr. H. Johnson), I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray (arr. V. C. Johnson), Give Me Jesus (arr. Wright), Deep River (arr. H. T. Burleigh), God’s Gonna Set This World on Fire (arr. M. Hogan), Lord, I Want To Be A Christian (arr. M. Hogan), and Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel? (arr. J. Miller). The program will also be enriched by Lithuanian sacred and folk choral music, with a special focus on the works of M. K. Čiurlionis. Audiences will hear Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, as well as Lithuanian folk songs harmonized by Čiurlionis – Oi giria, giria, Anoj pusėj Nemuno, and Beauštanti aušrelė, arranged for women’s choir by R. Gelgotienė.
This concert will unite emotional depth with spiritual elevation – truly from the heart to the heavens. The evening’s guest, Ira Spaulding, is an internationally acclaimed choral conductor, vocal pedagogue, and soloist with more than forty years of experience. He has performed and taught in over 60 countries worldwide, conducted choirs in the USA, the Netherlands, and beyond, and taught at prestigious institutions including the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam and the City College of New York. His visit to Lithuania is made possible by the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation (BAFF), more information about whose scholarships and lecturer support can be found at www.balticamericanfreedomfoundation.org.
The Vilnius University Joint Choir brings together three of the university’s actively performing artistic ensembles – the mixed choir Pro musica, the women’s choir Virgo, and the academic mixed choir Gaudeamus. Each has its own distinct style and history, but through joint projects they unite to form a powerful musical ensemble capable of realizing ambitious artistic visions and international collaborations – such as this special concert with Ira Spaulding.