Open To The World ’25: LSSO, Zero8, Dagilėlis Jamal Moore & ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius
The biggest night of the festival – 200 artists from Lithuania, Sweden, the USA, a spectacular festive program, and a special surprise
As part of the unique Open To The World festival, ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius presents exceptional content and a memorable concert experience. On December 6, 2025, the stage at LSSO Concert Hall united the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Sweden’s leading male choir Zero8, Lithuania’s premier boys’ choir Dagilėlis, American vocalist Jamal Moore, and the ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius.
The centerpiece of the program was the premiere of Exodus, a new work for two choirs and orchestra by Zero8’s Artistic Director and conductor Rasmus Krigström, composed especially for the Open To The World festival.
The concert also featured contemporary choral music, original pop arrangements, and selections from the soundtrack of the video game Civilization.
One of the evening’s highlights was the newest work by Zero8 artistic director, conductor, and songwriter Rasmus Krigström – Exodus, written for two choirs and orchestra. The piece, he explains, reflects the mood of today’s world: “We are surrounded by painful and unsettling events, and it is natural to long for a way out – a path toward hope. The daily news often leaves us in despair and anger, and who else can we blame if not ourselves, or at least that part of humanity that knows only how to destroy. Is there a way out of this chaos? Can we imagine it, and most importantly, reach it? Exodus invites us to reflect on these questions and to continue searching for the light, even when the path remains unclear. It is a reminder that we must at least try.“
The first part of the concert focused on contemporary works rarely performed in Lithuania. The Lithuanian ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius, Dagilėlis, and Sweden’s Zero8 presented standout modern pieces from their repertoires. A highlight of this section was the remarkable works arranged and gifted to the festival by the choir’s friend, Blake Morgan, tenor of the British vocal ensemble VOCES8 and songwriter. Thanks to him, The Jackson 5 classic “I’ll Be There,” the gospel hymn “Shall We Gather at the River,” and the Scottish ballad “Caledonia” sounded anew – with vocal elegance, sensitivity, and unexpected harmonic turns.
The three choirs and the LSSO, joined by the charismatic American vocalist Jamal Moore, also performed music from the legendary Civilization game soundtrack.
A Unique Christmas Experience in Vilnius
Dagilėlis is widely regarded as Lithuania’s premier boys’ choir, celebrated for its ability to blend diverse musical styles with emotionally charged performances. The ensemble enjoys high acclaim, performing regularly abroad and earning numerous awards at international competitions. As a singing school, Dagilėlis also plays a vital role in the musical education of boys and young men in Lithuania.
A special highlight of their appearance was the choir’s acclaimed rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, where the singers vividly recreate the sounds of nature and jungle life, enhanced by tasteful choreography.
Founded in 2006, Zero8 is a male choir based in Stockholm that has mastered the art of barbershop singing. With a focus on technical precision, subtle vocal blending, and captivating stage presence, the choir has successfully applied these qualities to a wide array of musical genres, including jazz and classical music.
Bringing together more than 40 singers, Zero8 won the title of Best Choir in Europe at the 2024 European Grand Prix for Choral Singing. The group has also been crowned European Barbershop Champions four consecutive times and represented Sweden at the Eurovision Choir competition in 2019.
First Part of the Concert
Concert Opening
An Electronic Improvisation Inspired by the Cloudburst Theme
Cloudburst
Eric Whitacre
Caledonia
Dougie MacLean | arr. Blake Morgan
You Raise Me Up
Rolf Løvland & Brendan Graham | arr. Blake Morgan
Shall We Gather at the River
Robert Lowry | arr. Blake Morgan
I’ll Be There
The Jackson 5 | arr. Blake Morgan
Song of Hope
Susanna Lindmark
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
George David Weiss
UMOJA
Jamal Moore
The Circle of Life
Elton John | arr. André van der Merwe
Second Half of the Concert
Det är en ros utsprungen
Jan Sandström
Exodus
Rasmus Krigström
Audience Interaction
Rasmus Krigström
Baba Yetu
Christopher Tin
Sogno di Volare
Christopher Tin
An Unexpected Turn in the Evening
The festival’s final concert took on an unexpected personal dimension. In front of a surprised audience and performers alike, the choir’s friend Jamal Moore proposed to his partner, Alexis Jones. His gesture was met with enthusiastic applause and cheers of support. A palpable sense of emotion and joy filled the hall, and Alexis, hearing the decisive question and receiving the engagement ring, did not hide her emotion or tears.
Artists & Production Team
Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra – Artistic Director and Conductor: Gintaras Rinkevičius.
Male Choir Zero8 (SE) – Artistic Director and Conductor: Rasmus Krigström.
Jamal Moore (USA) – Vocalist.
Boys Choir Dagilėlis (LT) – Artistic Director: Remigijus Adomaitis.
ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius (LT) – Artistic Director and Conductor: Milda Švelnienė.
Concert Conductors – Rasmus Krigström, Milda Švelnienė, and Remigijus Adomaitis.
Concert Producers – Rasmus Krigström (Zero8) and Audrius Valatkevičius (ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius).
Concert Sound – Sound design and acoustics solutions company NO NOISE (Sound Engineer: Kęstutis Dulinskas).
Lighting – Event technical services company Delegatai. Lighting Designer and Operator: Povilas Varonenka (FadersUp.Live).
Sponsors & Partners
Open To The World 2025
ISM Bel Canto Choir Vilnius’ Open To The World Festival is a unique vocal-choir music project in Lithuania that has become a cherished tradition. It aims to showcase unique modern content and the world’s finest choirs, vocal ensembles, and composers. The festival promotes cultural and choral music innovation and fosters cooperation between Lithuanian and international musicians. It also serves as a platform to nurture Western culture, create music, and grow together.
Born in 2018, Open To The World will feature six concerts this year, bringing together more than 300 singers and musicians. The lineup includes one of the world’s leading professional choirs – the three-time Grammy-winning Berlin Radio Choir – performing their acclaimed immersive production “human requiem”; Sweden’s top male choir Zero8 and vocal ensembles Ringmasters and the 2024 World Barbershop Champions, Lemon Squeezy; the leading male choir from Spain’s Basque Country, Suhar Korua; soloist Jamal Moore (US); the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra; Lithuania’s finest boys’ choir Dagilėlis; and others.
The festival is sponsored by engineering, prefab, and construction company INHUS; the Business Garden Vilnius office park developed by Vastint Lithuania; the largest logistics and industrial property developer in the Baltic States, SIRIN Development; the Lithuanian Council for Culture; and the Vilnius City Municipality. LRT TV is the information partner, and Ogilvy is the advertising partner.
Sponsors and partners of the Berlin Radio Choir’s special performance “human requiem” include the Embassy of Germany in Vilnius, the Goethe-Institut Lithuania, LIDL Lietuva, Allianz Lietuva, and SAP Lietuva.