Our debut studio album featuring Marius Beck, Mettis, Augustas Gocentas and Motiejus Bazaras!
Open to the World is Bel Canto Choir Vilnius’ debut studio album, featuring a selection of wonderful contemporary choral music, as well as arrangements of pop and rock music commissioned by the choir. The album also includes appearances by Mettis String Quartet, cellist Augustas Gocentas, pianist Motiejus Bazaras and Norwegian guitarist and singer-songwriter Marius Beck.
The album was recorded at Paliesius Manor by Grammy-nominated producer Vilius Keras and his team from Baltic Mobile Recordings.
The album contains a selection of contemporary choral music, which is rarely performed or recorded in Lithuania. Therefore, the choir continues its mission to promote contemporary Western choral music, present it in an approachable way, and ensure it reaches as wide an audience as possible.
Alongside works by the world’s most renowned contemporary composers Eric Whitacre and Ola Gjeilo, the album also features exclusively commissioned choral versions of popular music. A special highlight is legendary rock band Nirvana’s song “In Bloom”, written by its frontman Kurt Cobain. This grunge piece was specially arranged for Bel Canto Choir Vilnius by young Swedish composer Henrik Dahlgren.
Track Listing
Moonlight Sound Design
Raimonds Tiguls
From a Distance
Julie Gold, arr. Anna Abeleda-Piquero
The Sky and the Dawn and the Sun
Brendan Graham and David Downes, arr. Milda Švelnienė
In Bloom
Kurt Cobain, arr. Henrik Dahlgren
Say Something
Ian Axel, Chad King and Mike Campbell, arr. Henrik Dahlgren
Purple Rain
Prince, arr. Milda Švelnienė
Ecce Novum
Ola Gjeilo
Sleep
Eric Whitacre
Child of Wonder
Eric Whitacre
Lamentatio (Bonus Track)
Giovanni Sollima. Performed by Augustas Gocentas
Svajonė (Bonus Track)
Juozas Naujalis. Performed by Motiejus Bazaras
Videos
Credits
Sopranos: Lina Poškytė, Gintarė Ramana, Agnė Juodvalkė, Milda Laužikaitė, Audinga Jurgelevičienė, Lauryna Kriščiūnaitė–Kirjanovė, Elena Salamandîc–Alijošienė, Dovilė Bendžiūtė, Karolina Brazdauskytė, Rūta Kavaliauskytė, Ona Aleksiūnaitė.
Altos: Donata Sekonaitė, Agnė Bagdonavičienė, Goda Idzelytė, Jenny Holm, Emilė Indrašiūtė, Agnė Kirijakė, Aistrida Latvėnė, Jūratė Paurytė, Viktorija Pininė.
Tenors: Pranas Cirtautas, Justinas Stanevičius, Ignas Berenis, Mindaugas Rumšas, Julius Andrikonis, Evaldas Stulgaitis, Paulius Klangauskas.
Basses: Simas Bačiulis, Simonas Girdzijauskas, Dovydas Braukyla, Andrius Gailiūnas, Arnoldas Dapkus, Žygimantas Vosylius, Artūras Bagdonavičius, Dovydas Jurgelevičius, Alfredas Miniotas.
Guest Artists: singer and guitarist Marius Beck, cellist Augustas Gocentas, pianist Motiejus Bazaras, Mettis String Quartet (musicians: Rokas Vaitkevičius, Kostas Tumosa, Bernardas Petrauskas, Karolis Rudokas).
Audio Recording: Grammy-nominated producer Vilius Keras and his team from Baltic Mobile Recordings: Vilius Keras, Evelina Bajorinienė and Aleksandra Kerienė.
Video Production: video production agency Frame Riders: Stasys Piliutis, Algirdas Vaičaitis and Mantas Rimkus.
Producers: Audrius Valatkevičius, Vilius Keras, Dovydas Braukyla.
Bel Canto Choir Vilnius: Artistic Director & Conductor Egidijus Kaveckas, Second Conductor & Choirmaster Milda Švelnienė, Choirmaster Raminta Gocentienė, Vocal Coach Eglė Stundžiaitė.
Financing: Open to the World was funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and the Lithuanian Neighboring Rights Association AGATA.
Sponsors
