The international program “DIALOGUE OF CULTURES” was created in 2004 at the initiative of the School of Slavic Traditional Music. It was at that time that the school signed a cooperation agreement with the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater. In 2006, the partner of the program was The Centre of Folklore and Ethnography of Etnic Minorities in Lithuania.

To establish new contacts that promote close relationships and the expansion of cultural borders between countries, to spread kindness and love all over the world, providing comprehensive support to young talents, giving them a chance of a better life - this is what the program was designed for. In addition, The Centre of Folklore and Ethnography of Etnic Minorities in Lithuania annually orders works by composers in the style of world music, organizing contests of contemporary composers, and the Dialogue of Cultures program ensures their first performance in the Lithuanian National Philharmonic and its further popularization. The program also carries out the mission of preserving, popularizing samples of the traditional culture of different peoples by synthesizing it with the language of modernity.

A whole group of like-minded people are working on the program, driven by the desire to help talented youth and children.

Our partners are the Ministries of Culture of Lithuania and Russia, the Government of Moscow, the Vilnius City Council, the Lithuanian Culture Council, the Russkiy Mir Foundation, the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, the Moscow State Philharmonic Society, the Moscow International Cultural Center, the Moscow Center for International Cooperation, the Lithuanian Academy of Music and theater, The Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, The Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory, Vano Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatory, The Vladimir Spivakov International Charity Foundation New Names, Tbilisi International School "Integration XXI Century", Vilnius Bronius Jonušas Music School, Vilnius Teacher’s House, Vilnius House of Polish Culture, etc. And there would be no result if there were no close-knit and responsive collective of the School of Slavic traditional music.

One of the components of this program is the festival Orthodox Christmas in Lithuania. The festival was first held in 2004 in Vilnius and immediately managed to win the love of its listeners. Classical, folk, modern music, opera and ballet performances, folk choreography, and exhibitions are all performed by the best artists. And it is not surprising that the concerts of the festival always have a  full house.

Over the years, prominent musicians have taken part in the festival.

Pianists:

Pavel Nersesyan

Philip Kopachevsky

Andrey Gugnin

Nikolai Lugansky

Andrei Korobeinikov

Alexander Romanovsky

Tigran Alikhanov

Arkady and Olga Sevidov

Vyacheslav Gryaznov

Vladimir Ovchinnikov

Ekaterina Mechetina

Vadim Rudenko

Anna Odintsova (Russia)

Ekaterina Nemirovich-Danchenko (France)

Petras Geniušas

Piano duet of Julia Morozova and Ekaterina Bielauskienė

Veronika Vite

Aleksandra Žvirblytė

Paulius Andersson

Sonata Alšauskaitė

Daumantas Kirilauskas

Artūras Anusauskas

Aušra Motuzienė (Lithuania)

 

Violinists:

Irina Bochkova

Sergey Kravchenko (Russia)

Cellist Alexander Ramm (Russia)

Organist Ludmila Golub (Russia)

Guitarist Alexander Papiy (Russia)

Clarinet Evgeny Varavko (Russia)

Soprano Yana Ivanilova (Russia)

Bariton Deividas Staponkus (Lithuania)

Baritone Tomas Tuskenis (Lithuania)

Oboist Alexei Utkin (Russia)

Saxafonists:

Kestutis Vaiginis (Lithuania)

Yuri Vorontsov (Russia)

Ethnic musicians: Sergey Klevensky, Sergey Starostin, Andrey Kotov, Vitaliy Kis (Russia)

Algirdas Klova (Lithuania)

 

Creative groups of Russia:

Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Spivakov,

Chamber Orchestra of Gnesin Russian Academy of Music, director and conductor Andrei Rein,

A.R. Paulavichyus The Youth Symphony Orchestra of the St Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire, artistic director and conductor - Alexey Vasiliev,

The Moscow State Academic Chamber Choir led by Vladimir Minin,

Moscow Chamber Orchestra "Musica viva" conducted by Alexander Rudin,

State Academic Chamber Orchestra of Russia led by Alexei Utkin,

Hermitage Chamber Orchestra led by Alexei Utkin,,

The Brass Band of the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, led by Vladimir Lebusov,,

Horn Orchestra of Russia, artistic director Sergey Polyanichko,

Igor Moiseyev Ballet,

Children's choir of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia,

The ensemble of the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic "Academy of Early Music Ensemble", artistic director - Tatyana Grindenko,

The A. V. Sveshnikov State Academic Russian Choir,

The ensemble of ancient Russian sacred music "Sirin", led by Andrei Kotov,

Alexey Rybnikov Theater, that for the first time in Lithuania presented the rock opera "Juno and Avos",

Opera House of the Moscow State Conservatory P.I. Tchaikovsky, that for the first time in Lithuania presented the N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera "The Snow Maiden",

Jazz ensemble of Igor Bril (Russia),

Folklore ensembles "Erkvani", "Gorda" (Sakartvelo) and many others.

 

Creative collectives of Lithuania:

Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Juozas Domarkas,

Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra conducted by Sergey Krylov,

Čiurlionis Quartet,

The Brevis Choir conducted by Gintautas Venislovas,

String Quartet “Mettis”,

Piano duet “Piano Link”,

Piano duet of Rūta Rikterė ir Zbignevas Ibelhauptas

Piano trio Indrė Baikštyte (piano), Ingrida Rupaitė (violin), Povilas Jatsunskas (cello) “FortVio”,

Baltic International Accordion Quintet ''Excelsior''

Chamber Orchestra "Vilnius Sinfonietta",

Folklore Ensemble "Arinushka" (Lithuania),

Folklore Ensemble “Intakas” (Lithuania) and others

 

Conductors:

Juozas Domarkas

Modestas Pitrėnas

Modestas Barkauskas

Karolis Variakojis

Robertas Šervenikas

Vytautas Lukočius (Lithuania)

Vladimir Spivakov

Alexey Utkin

Valery Ovsyannikov

Alexei Vasiliev

Andrey Rein

 

Andrey Doinikov (Russia)

Kai Bumann (Poland)

Yaroslav Blaschik (Czech Republic)

 

A distinctive feature of the festival “Orthodox Christmas in Lithuania” - the audience is presented with not only those who have gained worldwide popularity, but also very young performers, laureates of international competitions, scholars of the International Charity Fund Vladimir Spivakov: Dmitriy Yudin (piano), Valeria Abramova (violin), Daniil Serdyukov (clarinet), Victoria Baskakova (piano), Valentin Malinin (piano), Rodion Shakirov (piano), Dmitry Borodin (violin), Chingis Hannanov (violin), Dina Ivanova (piano), Margarita Molchanova (piano), Lev Kaganer (accordion), Iskander Hannanov (cello), Camila Bikkulova (viola), Anastasia Zarubina (piano), Yun A In (piano) as well as scholarship holders of the New Names Foundation.

Organization of concerts by famous Lithuanian musicians in prestigious Russian halls, such as the Moscow International House of Music, music halls of the Moscow P. I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, concert hall "Jaani Kirik" and others. It provides an opportunity for professional growth of the artist-performer, and contributes to the preservation and development of cultural dialogue.

Concerts of ethnic music, which for many years are held in the Rachmaninov Hall of The Moscow P. I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory and other concert halls with the participation of groups from Lithuania. Vilnius ensembles “Arinushka” and “Intakas” took part in subscription concerts of the Moscow Conservatory, and ensembles from Lithuania - Ukrainian “Svyato”, Belarusian “Jurai”, Polish “Traikotka” have repeatedly charmed Russian festivals with their performances.

In 2019, the Dialogue of Cultures program expanded its borders. At the invitation of the Honorary President of the Union of Georgian Filmmakers, director Eldar Shengelaia and Director General Integration XXI Century International School, Doctor of Arts Tamara Kerechashvili, Lithuanian musicians performed in the Great Hall of the Vano Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatory. It was a joint concert of the conservatory’s symphony orchestra led by Revaz Javakhishvili, Vilnius folklore ensemble “Arinushka”, Lithuanian composer Linas Rimša, Georgian ethnomusicists Luka Mebonia, Giorgi Shanava, Moscow guitarist Alexander Papiy, Lithuanian pianist Artūras Anusauskas, percussion group “Hand voices”, introducing Linas Rimša’s “Old Faith”. Performances of creative teams of the Tbilisi Conservatory in Vilnius have already been planned.

 

An integral part of the “Dialogue of Cultures” program is master classes by famous musicians who, always willingly share their knowledge with young musicians and teachers. An important role in development of the young Lithuanian musicians was also played by trips to workshops organized by the Russian Ministry of Culture in Ostashkov, Suzdal, Tarusa, Moscow.

Participants in workshops of the program "Dialogue of Cultures" 2004-2020:

Alexander Bonduriansky (chamber ensemble)

Mikhail Sayamov, Vladimir Tropp, Natalia Brazhnikova, Ksenia Knorre, Arkady Sevidov, Tigran Alikhanov (piano)

Tatiana Berkul, Sergey Kravchenko, Irina Bochkova (violin)

Yuri Vorontsov (saxophone)

Natalia Gilyarova, Andrey Kotov, Sergey Starostin, Evgeny Efremov, Elena Krasnopevtseva, Evgenia Kostina, Rytis Ambrazevičius, Varsa Lutkutė-Zakarienė, Evgenia Redkova, Elena Bessonova, Vladimir Ivanov, Vladimir Alekseev, Tatiana Zimenkova, Alexander Pereslegin, Ksenia Naumova, Irina Nekrasova, Tatyana Zachikevich, Andrey Kabanov, Oleg Konshin, Andrey Davydov, Ekaterina Boyarsky, Galina Sysoeva, Esenia Bessonova, Kirill Krylov, Luka Mebonia , Giorgi Shanava, Levan Lukava, etc. (ethnic vocals)

Victor Solovyov, Sergey Vyskvarka, Vyacheslav Asanov, Dalia Urbanavičienė, Danil Izotov, Giorgi Logua (folk choreography)

Mikhail Bessonov (folk theater)

Maria Mateiko (arts and crafts) and others.