19th July 2018 6 p.m.

Kultūras un tautas mākslas centrā “Ritums”

Jauniela 29a, Riga Old Town

Laurita, Lithuanian folk singer and preserver, invites to experience “Sutartines” – the archaic, polyphonic songs that came from the hearts of Lithuanian ancestors. These multipart chants are usually descrbed as mantras because of their meditative ritual power. While singing together, the unique, magical and uniting harmony is experienced.

Open your hearts and voices to one of the oldest ceremonial singings in the world and transfer yourself to the times of our ancestors.

No need for musical knowledge, singing skills or Lithuanian language – Laurita masterfully decodes the songs in ceremonial atmosphere. Singing in a circle liberates mind and emotions, awakens singing abilities you would not imagine having.

These songs are the letters from the past, which may be written in the words long forgotten in our minds but their melodies still resonate with our souls and hearts.

Laurita Peleniūte is a singer who preserves Lithuanian musical traditions, culture and folk. She has been performing and teaching folk music for more than 15 years. Laurita merges musical traditions and languages from all over the world as she strongly believes in the primordial power of the music and common rots of all cultural traditions.

For Lithuanian and international audiences Laurita is best known as a former member of Lithuanian folk-rock band “Žalvarinis” and as a founder of Wrold music band “Marga muzika”. Laurita has performed in international projects such as Zumbaland (Georgia), Fanfare de Transilvanie (Romania), Plantec (Brittany, France), Altai Khangai (Mongolia), Oki (Ainu, Japan), Shono band (Buriat) and singer in project “Malituanie” with Baba Sissoko.

“A song is a magical ritual, which is passed from generation to generation everywhere. All nations in the world have the same songs, which lead a person through the different stages of his or her life: a new-born baby hears his mother’s lullaby, the love of two people is crowned with wedding songs, a war song leads warriors to battle, everyday work is made easier by work songs, the end of a person’s life is followed by laments” – says Laurita.

In the second part of the workshop you will meet Buryat singer Alexander Arkhincheyev, founder and leader of SHONO band. A masterful multi-instrumentalist and throatsinger, Arkhincheyev has perfected the art of arranging and performing Buryat traditional sayings and epics (called uliger), creating original songs in the process.

Entrance – donation starting with 10 EUR.