Thousands of performing musicians, hundreds of thousands of music lovers are expected to take part in the event which will also include a surprise by guests from Georgia. Everything else, the organizers say, is unpredictable.
Going to Vilnius
Previously, the Street Music Day would see around 5-6 thousand musicians performing live throughout the country. This year, they are expected to be significantly more numerous. Each year organizers distribute some sort of signs to be sported by all participants – and this year they have commissioned 8 thousand pins with GMD logo.
The city of Kaunas expects 300 musicians, while Vilnius – over one thousand. Besides Lithuania's two major cities, 56 other towns and villages take part in the event.
“GMD coordinators in smaller towns complain, however, that all young musicians want to go perform in the capital city. They say that Vilnius has a different atmosphere, it is more festive. They say it's more fun and cool,” says Daina Urbanavičienė, the project leader.
Georgians sing in Lithuanian
As one more novelty this year, the central Pilies street in Vilnius is declared the acoustic street. “When a girl is playing the flute and there's a rock band next to her, no one can hear the girl. But she is trying just as hard. So we wanted to divide the town into zones. Acoustic sound is more suitable for narrow streets, where the sounds reverberates from walls and is strengthened,” says Andrius Mamantovas, author of the GMD idea.
As to what the sixth Street Music Day will look like, Mamantovas grins: “I'd like to give you the same question. I do not know more than everyone else. It's always easier to say what that day was before, since every time, you do not know what to expect. All we do is announce the time and the place and then participants decide on their repertoire and performance themselves – so there are always surprises and pleasant sounds. I believe this GMD will be as fun as the previous ones.”
Urbanavičienė betrays that there is one Georgian band that is preparing a surprise – it is recording and performing a song in Lithuanian. Lithuanians, too, are recording a video greeting to be sent to Georgia.
Virus spreads
The idea to play live music on the streets has caught up with neighbouring countries too. Latvians were the first ones to follow the example. Last year, they held a Street Music Day in August, as part of wider city celebrations in Riga. A similar event was also held in Minsk, Belarus, last year. Belorussians and Latvians are planning it this year too.
“Just like we, the organizers, dreamed, this year a Street Music Day will be held on the same day in Georgian capital Tbilisi. I'm invited to attend a press conference and a presentation there. It will be an official visit by an unofficial person,” Mamantovas chuckles.
In addition to that, on Saturday, world Lithuanian youth is planning to hit the streets in Paris, Copenhagen, York, Punsk, Tallinn, and Nottingham to perform Lithuanian songs and dances.
