International premiere of Mindaugas STUMBRAS World Music project “SPELL” Based on Ukrainian traditional music

On November 8th, the festival POKROV BELLS will kick off with a spectacular opening concert, Folklore and the Present, at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic.

The world premiere of Mindaugas Stumbras' World Music project SPELL, based on Ukrainian traditional music, will take place in the LNF Great Hall. The concert will bring together performers from Lithuania, Ukraine and Sakartvelo: the folk ensemble Sviato, the K. Vardeli String Quartet, and many other musicians, including the trombone-playing composer Jievaras Jasinskis, pianist Julija Lankė, and the author of the piece Mindaugas Stumbras, who has mastered the classical guitar and the Arabian Oud himself. The Ukrainian folklore ensemble Sviato will lead the audience along the unique, discovery-filled paths of their nation's traditional music. The concert will be conducted by Levan Jagaev, a young, but well-known conductor in his country, Sakartve, and in Europe.

In the second part of the concert, the Living Tradition will present Lithuanian and foreign traditional music groups. The audience will have the opportunity to enjoy performances by folklore ensembles from Armenia, Spain, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Norway, Sakartvelo, Ukraine and unique examples of traditional choreography. The ensembles' programmes will be performed a cappella or accompanied by archaic folk instruments.