Lithuanian Centennial Concert (TBD)

The Republic of Lithuania declared independence from the Russian Empire on February 16, 1918, and its diplomatic mission to the United States is celebrating the centennial all year with a series of special events. Presented by the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the United States in partnership with FSGW, this free concert brings to Washington performing artists tapping deep roots of Lithuanian folk music.

Bringing together music, performance art, and multimedia, Abraham Brody pushes the boundaries between performer and public and challenges the traditional notions of a performer in the 21st century by uniting these three art forms into one cohesive whole. Drawing inspiration from the roots, rituals, and folklore of diverse backgrounds, he weaves them into performances combining his own compositions, improvisation, and multimedia works. He has collaborated with renowned performance artist Marina Abramovic, visited Siberia in search of shamans, and draws on the folklore and music of his Lithuanian roots. He has performed at prestigious venues from Budapest to London to New York, including a month-long residency at the Barbican Centre in London and a multimedia residency at National Sawdust in Brooklyn this spring.

Established in 1981, the group Trys Keturiose performs sutartinÄ--s, traditional Lithuanian polyphonic songs distinguished by the use of seconds, entwined voices, accentuated rhythmic patterns and the simultaneous sound of two different texts (verse and refrain). The word sutartinÄ-- is derived form the verb sutarti, “to agree, to reach accord.” The sutartinÄ-- tradition is dying out in rural Lithuania, but folk ensembles such as Trys Keturiose keep it alive in the cities. The group was founded in 1981 and is led by Daiva VyčinienÄ--, an ethnomusicologist, professor, and head of the Department of Ethnic Music at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. 

At Heritage Hall in Father Oâ€[TM]Connell Hall, 620 Michigan Ave. NE, 20064, on the campus of the Catholic University of America (Metro: Brookland or bus H2/H4).