Description
International Stasys Šimkus Choir Competition is one of the oldest choir competitions in Lithuania. Choir competition held every two years since 1976 in Klaipėda, Lithuania. Artistic Director and Organizer of the Choir Competition, President of Klaipėda Choirs Association “Aukuras” - assoc. prof. Algirdas Šumskis. Stasys Šimkus (1887 – 1943) - Lithuanian composer. As a national romantist, Šimkus helped with the resurrection of the Lithuanian cultural organization “Daina” (“A Song”) in 1916. In 1923, he opened a private music school in Klaipėda, which soon after was converted into the National Conservatory of Lithuanian (now called the Klaipėda Stasys Šimkus Conservatoire). He was a professor of composition at the Conservatoire from 1931 to 1937 and conducted the Opera of State at Kaunas. Šimkus composed several operas, a cantata, a symphonic poem, a piano suite, a ballade, lieders, choral works and church music. He composed the music for “Lietuvininkai (Lithuanians from Minor Lithuania) we Are Born” by Georg Sauerwein.
Why You Should Attend
The International Stasys Šimkus Choir Competition is one of the oldest international choir competition in Lithuania. This competition has deeply rooted traditions and is famous for its high artistic level, which attracts a lot of choir cultured personalities, who are the most renowned choir masters from the Baltic states and beyond.
At the same time, it is an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with Lithuania’s only seaport and it’s architecture or to take a ferry across the lagoon to the Curonian Spit, where you can visit the Sea Museum and Dolphinarium, which is the only dolphinarium in the Baltic states. Curonian Spit is remarkable for its golden dunes and the seaboard of amber, and its museums, one of which belongs to Thomas Mann, a Nobel prize winner, the museum is located in Nida. And that goes without including the most famous Baltic resort – Palanga.
