COUNTING DOWN TO THE 20TH “POKROV BELLS” FESTIVAL

From November 5 to 9, 2025, Vilnius will host the 20th anniversary of the international folklore festival “Pokrov Bells“. This event, which combines cultural education, academic, and artistic dimensions, has long held a distinctive place in the cultural life of the capital. Marking its jubilee, the festival will also commemorate a significant occasion - the 150th birth anniversary of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis.

It is important to note that the Festival is named in honor of the Orthodox Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God (Pokrov) and brings together guardians and promoters of traditional folk culture. Historically, this season marked the end of the agricultural year, when village celebrations began — weddings were held, fairs were organized, and the festivities were accompanied by songs, dancing, and merrymaking. “Pokrov Bells” is the only festival in the Baltic region that annually carries out a unique mission without parallel - creating and presenting contemporary works in the World Music genre, inspired by traditional folklore. Each year, prominent Lithuanian composers and acclaimed performers from Lithuania and abroad come together to create and premiere these works in the finest concert halls of Lithuania and the world. Through these projects, the Festival preserves and nurtures the folklore of different nations, promotes multicultural traditions, fosters international cultural cooperation, and contributes to the dissemination of professional Lithuanian art - particularly that of its capital city. One of the Festival’s core goals is to make folk music more accessible and relatable to younger audiences, and to show how traditional songs can maintain their relevance in today’s world. This is achieved by merging tradition with the language of contemporary music. In past years, audiences have been introduced to a wide range of original compositions, including: Old Faith and Women’s Songs by L. Rimša (based on Lithuanian Old Believers’ folklore), Ethnosphere – A New Breath of Tradition by A. Doinikov, Folk Rhapsody by G. Rimkus Rimkevičius, From This City by J. Jurkūnas, A Tale About Life by A. Martinaitis, Collages by Z. Bružaitė, Dedication by A. Šenderov, Mass of the Starling by L. Vilkončius, There Was a Day by L. Rimša, G. Venislovas, and J. Jasinskis (based on Simonas Firkovičius’s poetry and Karaim folklore), Perpetuum by L. Somov, Orero by J. Jasinskis (based on Georgian folklore), Spell by M. Stumbras (inspired by Ukrainian folk traditions). One of the most acclaimed projects, Jievaras Jasinskis’s “Orero,” based on Georgian polyphony, will return this year along with the world premiere of a new symphonic work dedicated to Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. Both will be performed at the festival’s opening concert, “Folklore and the Present,” on November 5 at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall.

The Festival program includes concerts in Vilnius’s most prestigious venues, evenings of folk dancing and singing, a scientific conference, and roundtable discussions featuring renowned experts in ethnic culture and history from Lithuania and abroad. Additionally, the program offers exhibitions, masterclasses, and workshops in traditional singing and young artisans’ labs, providing participants with a unique opportunity to enhance their skills and develop competencies in the field of ethnic culture.

“Pokrov Bells” is one of the most renowned ethnic music festivals in Europe, bringing together a large, tightly connected community that celebrates and promotes Lithuania and Vilnius - a capital city representing many cultures. The festival features around 800 participants of various nationalities, including professional artists such as the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra, well-known soloists, conductors, folk ensembles from Lithuanian regions and foreign countries, ethnic minority groups, and researchers. Through collaboration, they actively preserve and promote traditional culture. A key focus is the engagement of young people - children, youth ensemble members, and creators from other cultural sectors - whose perspectives and ideas about ethnic heritage and folklore help make these traditions relevant and inspiring to new generations. Their involvement reveals how folk art can be captivating, contemporary, and inclusive. This strong sense of mutual connection and cooperation leads to unexpected concert programs and the formation of new ensemble line-ups, uniting performers from Lithuania and abroad. The festival has become an important platform for cultural exchange, where representatives of different countries and Lithuania’s ethnic minority communities come together. As a result, Vilnius has grown into an international center of traditional music, uniting music lovers, folklore enthusiasts, and those interested in the cultural expressions of other nations.

We are grateful that for many years the festival has been supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Council for Culture, the Vilnius City Municipality, and the Department of National Minorities under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Festival partners: Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, St. Catherine’s Church, Vilnius University, the Vilnius Old Town Renewal Agency, the Adomas Mickevičius Public Library of Vilnius County, the Vilnius Cultural Center, the Bronius Jonušas Music School of Vilnius, Alaus Namai.

Festival organizers: young yet highly experienced team of specialists from the Folklore and Ethnography Centre of Lithuanian National Minorities and the Bronius Jonušas Music School of Vilnius.

A strict selection process for participants (with groups chosen by an international committee), which begins 1.5 years in advance, gives the Festival audience a valuable opportunity to hear only high-level performers. All of them nurture authentic traditions, reveal the uniqueness of their homeland and region, and present original programs. Groups from small towns geographically distant from the capital receive special attention from the Festival organizers. Colorful Festival events attract a diverse audience of different ages, encouraging interest in folk heritage and the history of their own and other people. On the occasion of the jubilee event, not only the best groups and soloists from various parts of Lithuania will come to the capital, but also guests from Armenia, Bulgaria, Spain, Latvia, Poland, Norway, Georgia, Serbia, Ukraine, and Germany.