Open To The World ’22: Bel Canto Choir Vilnius & Zero8 Together
An exceptional Sold Out evening in Vilnius: Bel Canto Choir Vilnius and Zero8, Sweden’s most popular male choir, in concert!
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius presented a very special evening – the seventh concert in the choir’s Open To The World series. On Sunday, November 27, 2022, over 80 singers from Bel Canto Choir Vilnius and Zero8 performed a stylistically varied, heartfelt and unique selection of music at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic.
The concert also featured the choir’s friends: pianist Motiejus Bazaras, vocalist Lukas Malinauskas of the metal band McLoud, and a string quartet led by Augustas Gocentas.
Photo Gallery
First meeting with the popular Swedes
Zero8 is one of the best and most popular male choirs in Sweden. It has made a name for itself as a barbershop, jazz and pop choir, but its repertoire also harmoniously blends classical pieces.
Zero8, which features over 40 singers, became European barbershop champions for the fourth time in a row this year, has won numerous barbershop awards, and represented Sweden at the 2019 Eurovision Choir contest.
Performing in Lithuania for the first time, Zero8 presented a spectacular and diverse program that effortlessly combined classical, pop and barbershop music. Some of the pieces have been arranged for the choir by Zero8’s artistic director Rasmus Krigström.
The talented Swedes also surprised the audience with a choral interpretation of the traditional Georgian war dance Khorumi, as well as the soundtrack of the film Ronia, the Robbers Daughter, based on the book by the famous Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren.
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius’s program featured works by world’s best contemporary composers who are much loved by both audiences and the choir itself – Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, Ola Gjeilo and John Rutter – as well as arrangements of popular music.
As ever, Bel Canto Choir Vilnius does not shy away from pushing the boundaries of choral music. This time, the choir joined forces with Lukas Malinauskas, lead singer of the Lithuanian metal band McCloud, to present a new version of the band’s song Aperol Spritz. It was arranged for Bel Canto Choir Vilnius by up-and-coming Swedish composer Henrik Dahlgren.
80 singers from Zero8 & Bel Canto Choir Vilnius on one stage
Zero8 and Bel Canto Choir Vilnius prepared a spectacular finale of the concert too. More than 80 singers from the Lithuanian and Swedish choirs joined together to perform popular classics such as Amazing Grace, This is My Song and Bring Me Little Water, Silvy.
Concert Program
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius
Aperol Spritz
McLoud, arr. Henrik Dahlgren
Hurt
Trent Reznor, arr. Eric Whitacre
O Magnum Mysterium
Morten Lauridsen
Conversion of Saul
Z. Randall Stroope
The Lake Isle
Ola Gjeilo
Ecce Novum
Ola Gjeilo
For the Beauty of the Earth
John Rutter
White Winter Hymnal
Robin Pecknold, arr. Pentatonix
Zero8
Doggone I’ve Done It
Dave Franklin, arr. David Wright
My Romance
Lorentz Hart & Richard Rodgers, arr. Gene Puerling
O Adonai
Arvo Pärt
Sonett 116
Rasmus Krigström
Khorumi
Mamia Khatelishvili
Det Brinner En Stjärna
David Wikander
Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul
Gustaf Nordqvist
Northern Lights
Ola Gjeilo
It Is Well With My Soul
Horatio Spafford & Philip Bliss, arr. David Harrington
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year
Edward Pola & George Wyle, arr. David Holst
Medley from the Movie Ronja Rövardotter
Björn Isfält, arr. Elias Aaron Johansson
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius & Zero8 Together
Amazing Grace
William Walker, arr. Rasmus Krigström
This is My Song
Jean Sibelius, arr. Blake Morgan
Bring Me Little Water, Silvy
Huddie Ledbetter, arr. Moira Smiley
Performers
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius (artistic director and conductor Egidijus Kaveckas), Zero8 (artistic director and conductor Rasmus Krigström), Motiejus Bazaras (piano), Lukas Malinauskas (McLoud) and String Quartet led by Augustas Gocentas.
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius is led by artistic director and conductor Egidijus Kaveckas, second conductor and choirmaster Milda Švelnienė, choirmaster Raminta Gocentienė, and vocal coaches Eglė Stundžiaitė and Eimantas Bešėnas. The choir and the concert are produced by Audrius Valatkevičius.
Sponsors & Partners
Open To The World 2022
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius’ Open To The World is a unique choral music project in Lithuania that has become a tradition. It aims to introduce the world’s best choirs, vocal ensembles, and composers to Lithuanian audiences, to promote Western culture, to create, innovate, and improve. Together.
Open To The World 2022 concert featured Bel Canto Choir Vilnius performing with Zero8, one of Sweden’s best and most popular male choirs.
The project is sponsored by engineering, prefab, and construction company INHUS, Business Garden Vilnius office park, Newsec, the largest property consultancy in Scandinavia and the Baltics, and the Vilnius City Municipality. The project’s media partner is LRT TV, and its advertising partner is Ogilvy advertising agency.