On 19 – 23 November, 2018 famous musical artists Kurt Ollmann (baritone), Mackenzie Thomas (soprano) and John Ferguson (piano) from the United States had the master classes for students from Vilniaus Kolegija/University of Applied Sciences of Arts and Creative Technologies Faculty of Popular Music and Musical Theater programs and Vilnius Juozas Tallat- Kelpcha Conservatory students. Promotion company Arts Libera International and United States Embassy organized this great event in Lithuania. During the courses of mastering students had the opportunity to get deeper into singing, piano music of various styles, technical tasks and artistic performances.
All students were impressed by artists’ professionalism, their talent and their actors’ mastery (skills). Pianist John Ferguson played and analyzed works of art from a personal repertoire and had been working with each student individually all week. Also, all students were happy to work and present their works of art for Kurt Ollmann (baritone) and Mackenzie Thomas (soprano).
Famous American guests also presented the unique concert program ‘Bernstein on Broadway’, designed to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the famous American composer, pianist and conductor Leonard Bernstein. This project was shown in Lithuania for the first time. It was a part of the program designed by the US Embassy for the Lithuanian State Reconciliation Program, which aimed to introduce the Lithuanian society to the best cultural traditions of the United States of America.
At the Bernstein on Broadway concert, the famous New York performers trio John Ferguson (piano), Mackenzie Thomas (soprano) and Kurt Ollmann (baritone) invited the public to listen to the unforgettable songs of Leonardo Bernstein from musicals ‘West Side Story’, ‘The Town, ‘Candide’ and ‘Wonderful Town’. This unforgettable concert took place at St. Kotryna Church.
