Jurijus KALCAS

From Lithuanian Wikipedia

1963-1972 – student of the choir conducting specialization at the Vilnius M. K. Čiurlionis Secondary Art School, attended the choir directed by A. Jozėnas. 1972-1976 – studied choir conducting at the J. Tallat-Kelpša Higher School of Music in Vilnius (lecturer D. Einikienė). In 1976-1981 he studied choral conducting at the Lithuanian State Conservatoire (class of A. Lopo). In 1982-1984 he deepened his knowledge of choral conducting at the assistant conservatoire – traineeship (supervisor prof. A. Jozėnas).

During his studies, he began to work as a choirmaster of the Vilnius women’s choir “Aidas” and the girls’ choir “Liepaitės”, and to lead the women’s vocal ensemble of the Šlifavimo staklių factory. In 1976, he founded the vocal ensemble Vox Novus, which promoted vocal jazz and contemporary music. In 1981-1982, he taught choir conducting and other disciplines at the Vilnius Music School “Ąžuoliukas”.

Since 1983 he has been a lecturer at the Choir Conducting Department of the Lithuanian State Conservatoire of Music (Academy of Music), later a senior lecturer, and since 1992 a senior assistant. 1994-1995 Director of the Vilnius University Student Mixed Choir. Prepared the ensemble for the Baltic Republics Student Song Festival “Gaudeamus-XII” in Tartu (Estonia).

Since autumn 1998 he has also been a teacher at the Vilnius M. K. Čiurlionis Gymnasium of Arts.

Since 1978 J. Kalcas has been the artistic bass of the Vilnius Mixed Choir of the Lithuanian Society of the Blind (Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted), since 1991 conductor, since 1992 artistic director and chief conductor. He has added to the choir’s repertoire major works by Western European classics and Lithuanian composers, and continues his concert activities in Lithuania and abroad. Among the major works are L. Cherubini’s Requiem, Haydn’s oratorio The Creation of the World, Nelson-Messe and Stabat Mater (first performance in Lithuania), Handel’s oratorio Messiah, L. van Beethoven’s Mass in C major, A. Dvofäk’s Mass in D major, R. Schumann’s Requiem in D major, V. Jakubėnas’ cantatas “De profundis” and “My World”, J. Naujalis’ Mass in honour of St Leonard, J. Žilevičius’ Mass “Salve Jesu parvule”. The choir has recorded a wide variety of works for the Lithuanian Radio Fund, and has released three audio cassettes and two CDs. The choir participated in the 1st and 2nd World Lithuanian Song Festivals in Vilnius in 1994 and 1998, traditional church music festivals in Šiauliai, and the Baroko kelias festival in Pažaislis in 1996. On 28 October 1995 Vilnius celebrated its 25th anniversary with a concert. In 1996, Vilnius won one first and two-second prizes at the International Choir Festival in Cantonigros, Spain. The choir has performed extensively in Lithuania, touring Belarus, Latvia, Poland, Germany, Denmark and Spain.

Kalcas is also a composer, composing large-scale religious and secular music: masses, hymns, and songs. He harmonizes Lithuanian folk songs, arranges musical works, and translates musical texts from various languages. Noteworthy: Variations for piano “Ei griežle, griežlele”, “Exultate Deo” for men’s choir (awarded a special prize at the XXII International Competition of Works for Choirs in Tours, France), “Adam and Eve”, “To the Mother”, “I Know”, a vocal cycle for a children’s choir, the hymns “Ave Maria”, “Salve Regina”, “Regina coeli”, “Oremus” and the large-scale piece “Mass” (published 1991). The conductor participates in the juries of competitions for choirs, vocal ensembles, and soloists, he conducted at the 1995 Student Song Festival of the Baltic Republics “Gaudeamus-XII” in Tartu (Estonia) and at the 2nd World Lithuanian Song Festival in Vilnius in 1998.