It would be a sin not to mention, that in this year a band of singing poetry masters “Adios”  (Andrius Kulikauskas, Saulius Bareikis ir Olegas Ditkovskis) has reborned and in this year’s festival “It’s-Me” they will readily sweeten the public. The band started singing together about a decade ago. It didn’t take a lot of time for a band of two actors and one musician to find places in the hearts of the lovers of singing poetry. It has released an album “Above the Clouds”, gave a lot of successful concerts, but didn’t perform for a long time. They have clustered this year again.

Aidas Giniotis has written his first songs in his native town of Šiauliai. He has sang and performed with bass guitar in a rock band there.

During the period of 1982 – 1986 he has studied in Lithuanian State Conservatoire and in 1986 – 1989 he has worked as a lecturer in it. Together with his course friends I. Balsytė, A. Kaniava, D. Auželis ir H. Preikštas he has found an acoustic band „An Autumn of Prolonged Childhood“, where Aidas sang and performed with various acoustic instruments. In 1986 in the Teaching theatre he has organized a parody of A.L.Webber rock opera „Jesus Christ Superstar“ called „Dr.Stasys or Roads of Red Cross“. In 1998 A. Giniotis arranged a musical of A. Kolker „Krechinsky's Wedding“. During 1987 – 1988 he has organized and produced a series of concerts „Singing Actors“in Vilnius Sports Palace and Kaunas Hall.

Algirdas Klova was born in 1958-10-26 in Kaunas. In 1983 he has graduated Lithuanian State Conservatoire (now – Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy) with composition studies. During the studies he got interested in folklore. In 1980 he has established the second Lithuanian country music group “Kikilis” and in 1988 – a folklore ensemble “Vydraga”.

Algirdas Svidinskas grew in musical family. Mother learnt him folk songs, father – to play guitar with seven strings. With this instrument he performed valse and polka dances. He with family often sang in winter evenings, as he says, that evenings was the most impacted reminiscence from childhood. Ethnic culture and singing poetry – two music genres, which are closely concerned in his life. Folk – the energy of soul, and singing poetry lets to spray inner attitudes. Musicant, who plays guitar and Lithuanian stringed instrument, mostly sings with loud Upper Lithuanian dialect.

„I am a composer, better known of my pop songs. I have issued a selection of poetry last year. Recently I am playing jazz in one of Vilnius’ restaurants, sometimes I create music if asked – for theatre, songs and plays“, says Alvydas Jegelevičius. He is a son of a music teacher, born in 1949. He was studying in Alytus (played violin) and Vilnius J.

A popular theatre and cinema actor was born in 1964 in Kaunas. He started to speak at two, and singing at twenty. All that time grew up and learned in Vilnius, A. Vienuolis secondary school. Afterwards he continued his studies at conservatoire as an actor. His first songs appeared when he was an actor in Marijampolė Drama Theatre.

Even though A. Kaniava is now works for Keistuolių Theatre, he is a frequent participant in concerts of singing poetry in Vilnius Teachers’ House. He is one of the most favorite performers for audience and differs from other performers for untraditional accomplishment, which is full of motion and expression. A. Kaniava on the stage looks like a furious boy. Maybe this is why especially a lot of young people are listening for him happily.

Andrius Kulikauskas is a well-known Lithuanian composer and performer, born in 1952. He was a musician and the head of the popular ensemble „Vilniaus aidai“ in 70’s. Later, together with Vytautas Kernagis he has found a famous group „Theatre of the Song“. At present A. Kulikauskas is working at Keistuolių Theatre, writing music, taking part in various performances, playing together with the violoncello quintet „Quincelli“. A. Kulikauskas is creating music for movies and performances, often helps for other performers accompanying and arranging their songs („Actors’ Trio“, „Adios“). Lately he is playing alone or together with Saulius Bareikis.

Arnoldas Jalianiauskas is songwriter, born in 1975. He has learned in Panevėžys music school for seven years, and for three years he was dancing in a folk ensemble „Pynimėlis“. The author says „I am hot, blowing up, I need to go, to do“. In school characterization was mentioned that Arnoldas is a restless child. A great opportunity came to spur the energy, when author together with friends in 1991 has established a band called „Suffering“. He was also interested in a growing grunge style and such groups like „Nirvana“, „Sound Garden“, „Pearl Jam“. When A.

One of the most popular lithuanian singing poetry bands „Atika“ was founded in 1996, in Klaipėda. The biography of band, which core compound with Darius Žvirblis (guitar, vocal) and Audrius Šalnis (drums), is colorfoul: „Atika“ is popular in various festivals and concerts.

Domantas Razauskas was born and grew up in Vilnius. He took the guitar for the first time still being a child. From that time it became the basic instrument of self-expression. D. Razauskas was learning the quiddity of classical guitar, worked as the guitar teacher for several years, played in different bands and participated in various projects. During the studies of literature he began to attend literary practices actively: print his texts in periodical, participate in main events of Lithuanian poetry.

D. Razauskas‘ style of music is impossible to define – it is plenty of musical genres from reggae, blues, jazz, folk music and even noise style oeuvre. Authorial texts, immanent energy and professional playing let him to become a member of best-known bards group. D. Razauskas has written more than 100 compositions, which he accomplishes each time differently.

Eglė Sirvydytė is a young composer, vocalist, native of Kuršėnai town. She graduated an art school, the violin class. Few years ago she moved to Vilnius to study psychology at university, and alll this time she havs actively composed and played with Domantas Razauskas and Remigijus Audiejaitis. Eglė rounded up the talent instrumentalists band recently, with whom she performs in bigger Lithuanian cities‘ stages and in various festivals. “I crow inside everytime I play with them during rehearsals and concerts.

Gediminas Kajėnas is a poet, essayist, performer of an alternative singing poetry, who was born in1978 in Vilnius. In 2004 he has graduated Vilnius Pedagogical University with Lithuanian filology studies. In 2002 – 2004 G. Kajėnas has worked as an editor in radio broadcast „Poetical readings“. Since 2005 he is a cultural editor and soul of news portal www.bernardinai.lt.

Gediminas Storpirštis is a well-known Lithuanian theatre and cinema actor, an organizer and participant of singing poetry concerts. He was born in 1961 April 26th, in Vilnius. In 1984 he graduated Lithuanian Conservatoire (now – Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy, where he has lectures since 2006) actor’s skills studies. He is an actor of State Youth Theatre from then. He is not only acting in performances, but also writes the music for them („The Love of Horse Dominykas“, „Elk Eugenijus“).

Since 1985 G. Storpirštis is working a head of theatre studio „Elementorius“. In 2006 together with guitarist Jonas Krivickas he was taking part in competition- festival „The Chord of Peterburg“ in St. Petersburg. G. Storpirštis is often called a father of bards‘ renascence. He is constantly cherishing the culture of singing poetry. The singing poetry concerts, organized since 2001 together with Vilnius Teachers‘ House are very popular. Gediminas Storpirštis is also an art director of International Singers’ and Songwriters’ Festival „It’s me“.

When Giedrius Arbačiauskas was 12, he realised that he would never be an astronaut, a pilot or a military officer. Since that time he wished to write songs and be an actor.

'I bought my first guitar in Soviet times for 23 roubles and brought it home with care like a biggest treasure, wrapped in plastic. I wrote my first song by Janina Degutytė poem at school. Later on I started to write music and songs using my own lyrics',- says Arbačiauskas.

„I am just a girl, who likes to sing. I was born in Kaunas, grew up in Šiauliai, also called Sun city. I learned some music from mom and dad and started writing it when I was about fourteen years old. We had a group at that time, and it was „very serious“. Truly I didn‘t realize, when people started listening with serious faces. I passed from a household piano to the school hall. From there – to other‘s schools halls.

Ilona Papečkytė has started her musical career in Virgis Stakėnas‘ singing poetry studio in Šiauliai. After graduating art faculty of Šiauliai Pedagogical University she moved to Kaunas.

Ilona has two daughters – Elena and Maria, so many of her songs are dedicated to children and teenagers.

Jonas Baltokas was born in 1977. He plays guitar, harmonica, kazoo and etc. J. Baltokas is a founder of Lithuanian bards‘ community www.dpoezija.lt. He performs in every bigger Lithuanian singing poetry festivals. He have organized festival „Nights of Bards“ in 2005, which attained the big response.

Recently, he performs with his seven years old daughter. He writes songs on his and other authors‘ texts. Together with Darius Žvirblis and Linas Švirinas he has founded a bards‘ group in Klaipėda „Dpoezija“, which organize and round young singing poetry performers of the seacoast.

Jonas Talandis is a charismatic, talented and creative person. Playing piano already for nine years, Jonas is fascinating, that he can perfectly improvise and easily, naturaly find the key to classical and modern poetry, because exactly by making music, he reads text. The most important thing is not to stop climbing up, says Jonas.

„When I was a kid, I loved bandying with pillows together with my brothers” – says Justas. And now – it‘s obviously – together with his brothers and sisters from theatre laboratory „Open Circle“ or alone likes to joy the listeners with his songs. A former resident of Druskininkai has sung a lot of songs, has performed not in a one play in theatre of VGTU “Palėpė”.

Kostas Smoriginas was born in 1953, 22 of April. He is one of the most popular Lithuanian theatre and cinema theatrical for three decades. He graduated lithuanian corservatoire (now Lithuanian music and theatre academy) together with famous director‘s Dalia Tamulevičiūtė „decade“ and worked many years in Youth theatre in Vilnius. This theatre was famous by director Eimuntas Nekrošius spectacles, in which mostly K.

Kreivas and Raimonda Pečkytė  – performers who disclaim compromises, playing just their own made songs, came together few yars ago when meet two in different cities existed persons, who thought similarly and were fuddled by variaty of worldwide sounds.

Laimis Vilkončius is recognized as a variety art music composer. The composer don’t take himself as a typical singing poetry author and performer personally, although he never refuses to participate in common this genre concerts if been asked. Some professionals think that the genre of singing poetry is a part of unprofessional music, hovewer, L. Vilkončius is a professional and says, that he doesn’t regret for this period and feel happy“. There is a minimal of musical material in singing poetry, but that minimalism timulates the performer to use other self-expression measures”, says L.

Mindaugas Ancevičius was born in Joniškis. He is an independent and very active from the childhood, have twice finished music school in his native city: ince choreography and accordion class another time. He has learned to play guitar by himself. M. Ancevičius is one of the organizers of singing poetry, jazz and art festival“Three muses” in Joniškis.

Mindaugas Briedis is a author of poetry and music, he plays guitar. He has born and lives in Vilnius. Mindaugas strictly separate poetry from texts he sings and says that “ you cannot to sing each poem”. On the other hand, vocal oeuvre is connected with studies of philosphy, which became the axis of his live. Later on, this axis has involved the family, friends and enemies.

Neda Malūnavičiūtė stands out for emotional playing, spontaneity and intimate moderation. Expanding mainstream traditions, she use her voice also as equal instrument of ensemble. Since her childhood Neda has learned of improvisation with Vladimiras Čekasinas and graduated Lithuanian Music Academy with flute studies. On jazz stage she had a debut with students jazz assemble lead by Vladimiras Čekasinas in 1988. From the beginning of her career she had performed with all Lithuanian jazz masters obviously.

The first song „So Sorry“ Olegas Ditkovskis made at school, after the words of his teacher V.Tapiniėnė. During 1973 – 1983 he has studied in Lithuanian State Conservatoire and worked in Šiauliai theatre. Songs, made at these times, were played in the diploma work of his course, later – in Šiauliai theatre performance „Children days“. The songs of O. Ditkovskis „I Loved You“, „The Blossom of Nuts“ were performed by I. Ašakaitė and Šiauliaiensemble „Vairas“. During 1984 – 1989 he has studied the cinema producing in the cinematography institute in Moscow.

The most songs of this bard were included into cassettes and compact discs of „Actors Trio“, released in 1996 – 1998. Together with a few course friends released a cassette „Dainų 47“

„Open Circle“ is an independent theatre of young and professional actors, that was established in 2006 together with a director of “Crank’s Theatre” Aidas Giniotis.

Ovidijus Jucys took guitar for the first time in 12 class, but, as he says, nobody knew about it. He mostly accomplishes songs by own texts, but do not avoid other author creation.

He was asked if he take himself as musician, he smiled and told: „Well, I do not take myself as musician or bard. Music – just pleasure. I think it is not optional to play some instruments, that you could be a musician, also draw, that could be a painter. It is all – just expression. Lot of wonderful things can consist in person even you do not do that.“

He started writing songs being good student and almost always good behaving. Povilas Girdenis firstly walked on scene being the member of republican pioneers palace songs and dances folk ensemble „Pizzazz“, where sang in chorus, later – played hornpipe. While singing he admired stage music, later – that time the most horrible gerne – rock. As this music genre is related with guitar, so the hornpipe he changed to this instrument. After foundation of school poprock band „Stage“, started his way through various blue and rock‘n‘roll bands („Road Band“, „Rising Dust“, „Absolut Band“, „Blues Makers“).

In 2000 he left all collective activities,started to do everything alone and turned to singing poetry.  The main impulse to this style music born with V. Kernagis vinyl, some V. Stakėnas songs from show „Discotheque“, M. Tariverdijevo songs heard in E. Razianovo film „Likimo ironija arba po pirties“.

Romas Lileikis was born in 1959, 2 of October.

Graduated S. Nėris secondary school in 1977. Studied at Lithuanian state conservatoire in 1977-1978,  1980-1985 – lithaunian science at  Vilnius university. Took the guitar in 1975 stimulated by friend. Played in school vocal instrumental ensemble  „Vacuum“, created songs and even sang. Continued creating in conservatoire and university too. With respect to folk and rock music came a project „The story of pig“ (1992). Album „Requiem“ born in 1997 in cooperation with composer Kipras Mašanauskas. R. Lileikis always created song only with his words, being attentive to text and music pulse integrity, folk song fragmentary and dramaturgy.

It’s an unacknowledged mythological formation in a musical space or just a cluster of young actors, distinguishing by variety of sex, height and musical (and not only) moods. This not a holy trinity has a holy purpose – with its sad songs and bare hearts to prompt an every Lithuanian to reject levity and joy of life, to restore him to a real Baltic nature.

S.Bareikis is a well-known Lithuanian actor, who has performed in State Youth Theatre for more than twenty years. He has established a group „Actors’ Trio“ together with O. Ditkovskis and K. Smoriginas. S. Bareikis rarely performs alone.

In 1962 – 1969 he has learned in M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts, in 1969 – 1973 in Vilnius 21st secondary school, during the period of 1973 – 1977 he has studied in Lithuanian State Conservatoire, in 1977 – 1981 he was an actor of Šiauliai drama theatre, since 1981 – an actor of State Youth Theatre.

Saulius Mykolaitis -  actor of nacional drama theatre, director and composer. He was attending solo singing courses in Lithuanian music academy, because of his dream to be an opera soloist. Later decided to become a drama actor. He is well-known for lithuanian audience from television screen (“Gedimino 11”, “ Dievų miškas”, “Vienui vieni”), from different National drama theatre spectacles as “Roberto Zuko”, “Master and Margaret”. He directed some performances himself (“Stop,  machine” by D. Charms and “Ivanova” by A. Chechov). Saulius also has written music for 6 spectacles.

A comic jingle of old synthesizers, solo of trombone, ridiculous words of songs and sharply coloured faces – such a crazy cocktail is offered by a quintet Suicide DJs (Vidas Bareikis, Ainis Storpirštis, Pranas Dapšauskas, Živilė Kazlauskaitė and Mindaugas Balčiūnas). Stipriai Kitaip (literraly translated as “quite other way”) is an acoustic version of Suicide DJs group. A minimal cast (piano, trombone and 2 vocals) creates a close atmosphere. People watching and listening for Stipriai Kitaip often start to take part in the show themselves. Some theatrical details are characteristic to the music and it becomes a theatre and a theatre becomes music. 

The duo of twin bards Romanas and Dmitrijus Timofejev perform their own music and songs. They have won the Second Lithuanian Russians‘ bard song festival. They constantly take part in various singing poetry festivals in Russia and Baltic states. Some of the duo songs were included into “Russian authorial songs in Lithuania“ anthology. Roman and Dmitrij seldom perform in Lithuania, but always with a big pleasure.

Virgis Stakėnas was born in 1953, a year of snake, six a.m., in Šiauliai. Intellectual of province – wears glasses and sprouts beard. Not a vegetarian, not an abstainer, sometimes a smoker.

Many people know, that Vygintas Kazlauskas has taken part in a reality show “Stars Duets”, where he has sang together with Augustė Vedrickaitė. By a long way, much less people know, that he also sings his own songs (V.Kazlauskas is an author of about 50 songs, some of them are ballads). An author was living and studying in France, so he can perfectly sing the songs of this country in original language.

Vygintas Zmejauskas was born in 1976. From six years old he was beting drums in an orchestra, later he has fallen in love with guitar. During the years of studies, author and performer of music and songs have established a band „Cobi“. Together with friends V. Zmejauskas has found a Youth Music Club.

SiV.Babravičius is considered as a country music initiator and one of the bard’s culture initiators in Lithuania. He has taken a guitar into the hands at the beginning of the eighth decade and played in student parties differently from others. In 1978, when V.Babravičius was completely fallen in love with country, he has established a collegial-students ensemble “Deficits”. He was the head of it till 1983.

Vytautas Kernagis –  was one of (or even the first one) progenitors of lithuanian singing poetry. „Vytautas Kernagis“ – was the first album of singing poetry in Lithuania, recorded in 1978. Vytautas Kernagis was born in 1951, 19 of May., in Vilnius. Studied in M. K. Čiurlionis school. Primarily he was not good at playing and he thought that playing piano is the most damnedest activity in the world. As he personally affirmed, childhood was poor for him. He wore glasses from age 3, was cross-eyed and chubby. But one day he understood, that music can do him interesting person. He thought first that long hair, dilatable pants and guitar can spotlight girls, but later the interpretation changed. Vytautas Kernagis after three years left music school, not stayed for a long in secondary school too. Then he found his way – in 1973 he graduated  actor class in Lithuanian conservatoire, later studied stage direction in Moscow.

Vytautas V. Landsbergis was born in 1962. He graduated Lithuanian philology and literature studies at Vilnius University. Together with other prospective Lithuanian cinematographs left to Tbilisi to study cinema direction at Rustavi theatre institute in 1987. Later interned in New York, Jonas Mekas cinema anthology archive and young European theatre directors’ courses in England.