The concert "MILDA LITHUANIA"

Singer, composer, and vocal artist Milda Arčikauskaitė—who explores the voice and the human connection to nationhood, culture, homeland, and native language—will arrive at Zapyškis Church on May 9 to present her debut album MILDA LIETUVA, dedicated to Lithuania and its people, and most of all to her grandmother.

The program features well-known Lithuanian songs such as “Lietuva brangi,” “Kur giria žaliuoja,” and “Tris dienas, tris naktis,” composed or arranged for choir by Juozas Naujalis, Juozas Gudavičius, and Juozas Tallat-Kelpša. Some of these works were harmonized by M. K. Čiurlionis, including “Beauštanti aušrelė,” “Bėkit bareliai,” “Nei vėjai pučia,” and “Aš padainuosiu dainų dainelę.”

Milda will present her own interpretations of these songs, as if seeking to revive pieces deeply cherished in Lithuania and heard countless times. Their originality and distinctive character have developed over the course of her life through a wide range of experiences—singing together with her grandmother, studying academic and jazz music, exploring Gregorian chant as well as Indian raga and dhrupad traditions, and researching her own voice while leading vocal workshops and observing and imitating the voices of theatre actors. There has always been a desire to sing a little differently than usual.

The uniqueness of this project also lies in the fact that Milda performs all choral parts herself. This style may be described as a “solo choir” or “choir in solo,” where songs are performed by a soloist accompanied by layered recordings of her own voice—songs for multiple Mildas. No electronics or instruments are used. The voice is the natural instrument of human nature. Surrounding the listener from all sides, the voices create a resonant, pulsating space, into which you are invited on May 9 at 6:00 PM at Zapyškis Church.