On 7 November 2024, the international forum “The Musical in the World and in Lithuania: Challenges and Perspectives III”, held at the Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies of Vilniaus Kolegija / Higher Education Institution, became an inspiring event for students and teachers of both the Musical Theatre and the Cultural Activity Management study programmes. The event started with a musical greeting performed by students Evelina Maciūtė and Toma Pauraitė. The Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Birutė Žygaitienė, gave a welcoming speech, emphasising the importance of international discussions and cooperation between different artistic disciplines.
The Forum, coordinated and moderated by the Head of the Department of Performing Arts, assoc. prof. Eglė Juozapaitienė, attracted a great deal of attention due to its diverse programme. The presentation “Shall We Belt” by assoc. prof. San-ky Kim from Biola University in Los Angeles (USA) (“Vocal Fusion: From Classical to Contemporary Commercial Music”) was of particular interest. The professor gave an in-depth analysis of the subtleties of vocals, sharing his insights into various techniques and methodologies that help to produce different vocal colours.
The Forum’s presentations also included the experiences of the Programme professionals. Deivis Norvilas, a lecturer at the Performing Arts Department, in his presentation “From Punk Rock to Opera”, playfully shared his creative path and colourful experiences in different genres of music.
Agnė Levickaitė-Stanaitienė, a graduate of the Musical Theatre programme, in her presentation “Musical Theatre with Courage and Creativity”, encouraged young artists to unleash their creative potential and to take a firm step on the path of music and theatre.
The forum was also given a presentation by Musical Theatre students Evelina Maciūtė and Modestas Karanda, who shared their Erasmus+ exchange programme experience at the University of Girona in Spain. Their stories about the benefits and new opportunities of international experience inspired many of the Forum participants to try it out.
The discussions at the end of the Forum brought the participants together to talk about the future of musical theatre in Lithuania and on the international stage. The event was a great opportunity for students to discover new professional opportunities related to the creation, management and development of musical theatre, informing their choices and encouraging the collaboration and creativity needed to develop this unique art genre.
