SoundSport®, a rapidly growing series of worldwide competitive and exhibition music ensemble performance opportunities produced by U.S.-based Drum Corps International (DCI) is pleased to announce SoundSport Lithuania, the first officially-sanctioned SoundSport® event in the Baltics.
“We are ecstatic to expand the SoundSport brand into Lithuania,” Business Development Programs Manager Eric Hjellming said. “This event will engage many new marching ensembles in the area and provides a new performance opportunity for ensembles to showcase the remarkable talents of their performers.”
SoundSport Lithuania will take place the weekend of Friday, October 23 through 25th, in Panevezys, Lithuania, a 500 year old city located in the middle of Lithuania. The event will be held at Cido Arena, the city’s largest multicultural arena and home to many sporting events and concerts, providing a spectacular facility for this historic event.
Endorsed by Artspark, a Lithuanian not-for-profit and in conjunction with SoundSport, this event will offer Lithuanian ensembles the opportunity to experience SoundSport and DrumLine Battle events. Due to the close proximity of the event to several other countries, primarily the fellow Baltic countries of Latvia and Estonia, multiple countries are expected to be represented for a weekend of entertainment and music making.
“In a country with no previous exposure to marching music, DrumLine Battle is the perfect vehicle for stimulating interest in a way that is immediately accessible to both audiences and potential performers,” said Daniel Ray, Artspark Founder and CEO. “We are honored to have the opportunity to partner with Drum Corps International to introduce the first event of this kind in Eastern Europe and believe that such an outlet can help uniquely support a rapid growth of marching music across the entire region.”
Tickets for the event will run between just €2-€5. SoundSport Lithuania will also feature DrumLine Battle performances, another program of DCI produced to place percussion units in unique and exciting head-to-head competitions. Information on the event can be found on the SoundSport events page, and interested participants can register for the competition by contacting daniel@artspark.org.
Artspark is a not-for-profit youth arts organization. Founded in 2013 on the belief that participation in the arts can have a positive and transformative effect on an entire community, Artspark helps youth to develop essential life skills through active participation in the arts.
Through partnerships with some of the most successful international youth arts organizations, Artspark is able to bring educators and performers to Lithuania to provide world-class experience for local youth. It covers many forms of arts, with the main focus being on music and color guard/dance.
Artspark serves around 250 youth ages 8 – 19, from rural regions in Lithuania. We serve some of the most disadvantaged youth in Lithuania; compared to other regions, our students live in less educated regions with fewer modern conveniences and with minimal exposure to the arts. Artspark seeks to spark change within these communities by providing a stable, positive education environment. We also offer clinics and masterclasses for youth in other areas of Eastern Europe.