Big Band Festival Šiauliai

This year, on June 12, 15, and 16, the Šiauliai city concert institution "Saulė" is organizing the 15th International Festival "Big Band Festival Šiauliai 2024" at the "Saulė" Concert Hall and the Sundial Square. As in previous years, a large number of professional big bands and jazz soloists will gather for this representative city event.

Last year, the festival hosted not only guests from other Lithuanian cities but also from six foreign countries: France, Ukraine, the USA, Norway, Spain, and Latvia. The open-air program featured classical, swing, Latin jazz, folk music, and other pieces.

The annually growing and improving international festival, funded by the Šiauliai city municipality, continues to thrive. The irreplaceable participants, the hosts of the festival – the Šiauliai Big Band – also keep progressing. Last year, the Šiauliai Big Band performed on the festival stage, presenting extraordinary compositions to the audience along with the expressive performer and composer Viktorija Pilatović, who came to the festival directly from sunny Spain. This year, the ensemble promises to delight the audience along with Latvian soloist Aija Vitolina and  for Šiauliai public well-known accordionist Jonas Vozbutas, opening the festival on June 12 with the program "The Musical Story of Édith Piaf," which was publicly presented only once last year. The Šiauliai Big Band will also be seen on stage together with the winner of "The Voice of Lithuania 2023," Anyanya Udongwo from Nigeria, performing a special program prepared for this event.

Additionally, this year’s festival will feature guests from the Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Music Academy big band "SaraBanda," the Jelgava Big Band from Latvia, and Lithuanian ensembles – the Klaipėda Jazz Orchestra, the Kaunas Big Band, and the "Vilnius JJAZZ Ensemble," who will come with soloists from Finland, Italy, and Latvia. As in previous years, the charismatic Šiauliai "Romuva" Gymnasium Jazz Orchestra "Romuva," which has become a loyal participant of the "Big Band Festival Šiauliai," will also perform.

For more information, visit the Facebook page Big Band Festival Šiauliai.