In 1963 Rimantas Zdanavičius founded a boys’ and youth choir in Klaipėda. In 1966 the choir was given the name of “Gintarėlis” (it means a small piece of amber). The leaders of the choir were N. Gricienė (1969-1973), A. Rožė (1974-1984), Juozas Kubilius (1985-2012). Since 2013 “Gintarėlis” has been led by Tomas Ambrozaitis. In 1970 the 2nd children music school was established in Klaipėda (named after Jeronimas Kačinskas Music School in 1995) with a department of choral singing. In this department the “Gintarėlis” singers begin their thorough studies of music (solfeggio, history of music, the piano, choral conducting, etc.) Enlisted to the training course in choral singing are boys six to seven years of age. During the first two years they sing in the preparatory group, at the age of 9-14 they perform in the boys’ and mixed choirs and at the age of 15 and over, they sing in youth and mixed choirs. Each of these age groups prepares individual concert programs. The choir has given concerts in Estonia, Latvia, Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus, Germany, France, Spain, Slovakian Republic and Italy. It also took part in international festivals and contests, e.g. in Cantonigros (Spain) in 1991 where the choir took the 3rd place, in Nantes (France) in 1995, in St. Šimkus Contest (Lithuania) in 1995, in Vranov (Slovakian Republic) in 1999 and 2005, in Mirepoix (France) in 1999, in Ciampino (Italy) in 2000, in Kalundborg (Denmark) Youth Choir competition (1st place) in 2001, in Tarare (France) International Choir Festival in 2002, in Budapest (Hungary) in 2004, in Belfort (France) 20th International Music Festival in 2006, in Nancy (France) 14th International Choir Festival in 2007, in Lübeck (Germany) International Choir Festival performing J.S.Bach Passio secundum Matthaeum in 2008. In 2002 “Gintarėlis” received national nomination „The brightest Lithuanian star“ and „Golden Bird“. The choir takes part in every National Song Festival. Teachers Artistic leader and conductor Tomas Ambrozaitis Conductor Marius Lingvenis Choirmasters Petras Mikutis (manager); Žydrė Sinkevičiūtė. Teachers of 1-3 classes Silvija Domarkaitė; Regina Vindžigalskienė.
