This year, for the seventeenth time, from November 9th to 12th, the international festival “Pokrov Bells” will open the doors of its hospitable home for all lovers of traditional folk art. Each day of the festival is full of various performances by visitors and local groups.

The festival will start at the Saint Catherine's Church on November 9th. In the first part you will be able to get acquainted with the unique polyphonic song traditions of Georgia and the Cossack songs of the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine, which will be presented by the ensembles Gurjaani (Georgia), Drewno and the Zachikevich Family Ensemble (Poland-Ukraine). It is also important to add that the international organization UNESCO recognized the polyphonic traditions of both countries as masterpieces of the oral intangible heritage. In the second part, students will meet with groups from Serbia, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Germany and Lithuania.

The next two days of the festival are devoted to getting acquainted with the theory and practice of folklore performing arts, as well as discussing issues related to the development of the folklore movement in modern conditions. Round table discussions will be held on November 10th - "Laboratory of traditional singing", and November 11th - "The boundaries of modern folklore". Both events will be held in the conference hall of the Panorama Hotel.

On November 10th, at the Museum of Applied Arts and Design, the audience of the festival will have another unforgettable evening - a concert of Lithuanian and foreign folklore groups "Unique Traditions". The most beautiful songs, dances and instrumental music from Serbia, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine, Germany and Lithuania will tell about the unique, original traditions of the performers, customs and rituals of their country. This concert is like a wonderful, magical journey into the past.

On the evening of November 11th, in the Great Hall of the Lithuanian National Philharmonic, two unique music creations will be heard as part of the World Music Projects of the festival: the first is the work of three Lithuanian composers - L. Rimša, G. Venislovas, E. Jasinskis “There was such a day ”, created in 2020 on the basis of Karaite folklore and poetry of S. Firkovichius, a poet and figure of Karaite culture. It was written on the occasion of the year of the Karaims of Lithuania. The second work is the world premiere of the composer’s E. Jasinskas "Orero" based on Georgian folklore. The music pieces are performed by soloists from Lithuania and Georgia: Dovilė Kazonaitė, Regimantas Gapšys, Luka Mebonia, Arina Zacharova,, the ensembles SHARA, ARINUSHKA and HAND VOICES, as well as the Konstantin VARDELI String Quartet of the Vano Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatory together with the Lithuanian chamber orchestra. The premiere will be conducted under the direction of Modestas Pitrenas.

The festival does not forget its younger participants: on November 12th, the twelfth children's and youth folklore assembly will take place, which includes the international conference of young folklorists "My family - my origins". It’s a concert of laureates of the republican children's and youth competition of folk art performers, the program "Folk masters to children”. As usual, at the same time in the foyer of the Vilnius City Hall, creative laboratories on applied arts will be held for children. From noon until late in the evening folklore groups of the multinational Lithuania, as well as guests of the festival, will present their programs to children and youth.

There will also be outdoor concerts of the festival participants in various regions of Lithuania.

We are looking forward to the guests and residents of our capital at the events of the “Pokrov Bells” festival as we would love to enjoy the celebration of folklore together!

The organizers sincerely thank the partners of the Festival: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, The Lithuanian Council for Culture, Department of National Minorities under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, Vilnius City Municipality, Lithuanian National Radio and Television, European Production Hub UAB, Amirtekas UAB.

Tickets for a concert at the Philharmonic and the Saint Catherine's Church can be purchased at KAKAVA.LT

The organizers