Skaidra Jančaitė (soprano)

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Biography
Repertoire
Concerts
Sound recordings
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Gallery
Biography
Repertoire
Concerts
Sound recordings
Press
Gallery

Skaidra Jančaitė graduated from the Kaunas J.Gruodis Conservatoire in 1987 with a speciality in chorir conducting, and from the Lithuanian Academy of Music in 2002, where she studied solo singing with Assoc. Prof. J. Grickienė and with Prof. V.Noreika.
In 1991–1992 Skaidra Jančaitė attended master classes in singing led by Prof. A. Orlowitz (Denmark), by Prof. Th. Grubbe (France, 1996) and by Prof. J. Loibl (Austria, 1997). In 1987–2001 the singer worked at the Lithuanian Academy of Music; since 1998, she has been working at the Kaunas Juozas Naujalis School of Arts.

Skaidra Jančaitė frequently sings in Lithuania; she participates in concerts of avant-garde and experimental music as well as in different projects; she also sings during festivals of classical and contemporary music. As a vocalist and soloist she was an active member of a few chamber music groups (AB Antiqua, Collegium) and avant-garde music ensembles (RAAS, N.N.N.). Her repertoire includes opuses of Renaissance, baroque and classical music, works of romantic and contemporary composers, sacral songs, Russian romances and Lithuanian folk music.

For 20 years Skaidra has been well known as a performer of sacral music; she has been performing in Lithuanian churches, schools and concert halls. Concerts for Lithuanian schoolchildren, Advent Moods and Let’s Play with Sounds, organised by the singer since 1992 as well as Sunday Concerts of Sacral Music in Vilnius St. Casimir and other churches have become very popular. In 2007 the singer has realised her most significant projects: Ave Maria, Sakralianiai duetai (Sacral Duos) and a feast of the synthesis of creation and art, Kūrimo diena, which has been the largest event organised by Skaidra Jančaitė so far, bringing together over 300 creators (children’s theatre, dance troupes, ensembles, musicians, singers, composers, poets, video artists, the kite movement, etc.). The singer has been continuously searching for new forms and possibilities of communication with the audience, discovering a unique style of expression: during her musical-educational programmes for children and youth she communicates with the audience and predisposes the listeners for openness and self-expression.

The expressive nature of contemporary music is particularly close to the artist’s heart as well as the possibility it suggests of discovering new ways of interpretation. For several years, during her performances of contemporary vocal music, the singer has been combining music, drama, dance, pantomime and art photography, thus forming an individual style marked by a strong effect on the audience. Since 2003 the artist has been holding photography exhibitions: Surfaces and Curved and Discontinuous Lines, Crying Forest/A Coast of the Pacific (Verkiantis miškas / Ramiojo vandenyno pakrantė), Diptychs (Diptikai), A Thought in Time (Mintis laike), The Microworld of Church. Crypt. Neighbourhood (Bažnyčios mikropasaulis. Kripta. Kaimynystė), In-Lithuania-Village-Countryside, City-History (Lietuvoje-Kaimas-Gamta, Miestas-Istorija), Surfaces (Paviršiai), I Have Drowned in Them (Aš paskendau juose), A Letter to Montmartre from Užupis (Užupio laiškas Monmartrui), Dangerous-Banned Art (Pavojingas-Uždraustas menas), Artist to Artist (Menininkas menininkui) and others. The aforementioned series of photographs were exhibited in museums all over the country, schools, churches, Kaunas Artists’ House, Vilnius City Hall and also in Notre Dame-d’esperans in Paris, Montmartre, Lyon, Otava (Canada), Hamilton, Toronto, Budapest, Detroit, New York, Washington, Atlanta, San Francisco and Seattle. Her series of photographs presented for a competition organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, The Best We Have (Tai, ką turime geriausio), was awarded a special prize of the ministry in 2005.

Skaidra Jančaitė has participated in festivals of new music: Jauna Muzika in Vilnius (1991-1995), I International Thomas Mann Festival in Nida (1997, 2004), Vilnius Festivals  (1999, Pažaislis Music Festival (1997 – 2001), IX Curonian Spit Festival and the town of Anykščiai celebration (2007). She has given concerts in Austria (1996, 2008), Denmark (1997), Russia (2000, 2002), Latvia (2001, 2003, 2007), Byelorussia (2006), Slovenia (2005), Poland (2006-2007), France (2001–2008), Canada (2003–2004) and the USA (2003–2007).
As a soloist Skaidra Jancaite has performed with Lithuanian chamber ensembles Musica Humana, Ciurlionis Quartet, Vilniaus Arsenalas, Ex Tempore, Collegium, Gould String Quartet (Canada) and the Laboratory of Stage Art artists in Riga and Pedval; with pianists V.Slobodian, G.Zalatorienė, L.Giedraitytė, E.Mikšys (Lithuania), R.Stalygienė (USA), P.Stravinskas (USA), V.Paulauskaitė - Binder (USA), V.Serebryany (Canada), K.Enns (Canada); with organists L.Digrys, A.Telksnytė, R.Marcinkutė Lesieur; and with conductors N.Berman (Italy), D.Katkus and R.Šervenikas (Lithuania). Skaidra Jančaitė performed at the Lithuanian premiere of A. Zubel’s Unison together with accordionist R. Sviackevičius and the premiere of B. Lang’s DW 15 Songs Preludes at the 5th Warsaw Tourning Sound Festival.

Skaidra Jančaitė has organised festivals: What Are You Doing Here? and The Chords of the Castle festival in Raudondvaris. Skaidra has also realised several projects: Forbidden Art together with Finnish artists, a project with graphic artist M. Gonzenbach (Switzerland) and dancer S. Orinska (Latvia), Prayer, a musical pantomime (music, movement and live singing); The Warmth of Hexagon, a project with a children’s camp, Kites for the Baltic Sea, during which Skaidra organised a concert of hand-made instruments and songs created by children at the Baltic Sea and staged a performance.

Concert in the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall, 12 15 2006

L.Berio Sequenza III for solo voice

Sequenza for solo oboe

Folk Songs for chamber ensemble

M.Decoust A l'oree des ajours for soprano, clarinet and percussion

V.Barkauskas Lune a l'aube dete op. 123 for soprano and eight cellos

A.Larson Nora for soprano and cello

J.Mark Scearce The Bird by Bird (in memoriam O.Messiaen) for soprano and flute

C.Berberian Stripsody for solo voice

Skaidra Jančaitė (soprano), Algirdas Vizgirda (flute), Algirdas Doveika (clarinet), Šarūnas Kačionas (bassoon), Artūras Šilalė (viola), Dainius Palšauskas (cello), Saulius Astrauskas (percussion), Saulius Auglys (percussion), Joana Daunytė (harp)

"From a team of other young singers, Skaidra Jančaitė is distinguished by her individual expression and harmonious personality. She never follows the straight path of others, but insistently seeks for her individual voice. Skaidra earnestly studies not only singing and music, but her interests also include philosophy, religious studies, literature, photography, and dance. That’s precisely why she manages a depth in her performances, enriching them with different meanings and fascinating listeners by interpretations not only of contemporary music, but also tango and jazz. She is a venturesome artist and therefore not afraid to take risks choosing complex programmes (what does it means to perform vocal cycles by Schoenberg, Musorgsky, Messiaen and Poulenc in one concert!) or travelling to give concerts in outlandish places of Lithuania. I dare say it would not be an exaggeration if I were to compare her mature interpretations to Renaissance artists, who constantly improved their personalities with a profound knowledge of different spheres of human learning."

Rūta Prusevičienė

"It is difficult to the describe the profession of 'singer'; maybe it is not a profession, rather a gift of God, a favour of nature. A nice voice is a most suggestive musical instrument. It is necessary to constantly develop, improve, and train it. (…) Skaidra Jančaitė follows the difficult path of constant improvement. She endeavours to recognize different vocal techniques, which is necessary when performing music of different styles. As a soloist she performs music of the widest stylistic amplitude – from the Baroque epoque till the newest contemporary works, free improvisations and avant-garde experiments."

D.Kšanienė. Klaipėda, January 13, 2001

"The vocal cycles of A.Schoenberg, O.Messiaen, and F.Poulenc are surprising: a convincing rendering of style, with irreproachabe authentic phonetics of the texts in German and French and finally thirty poem-songs performed by heart. She charms us from the stage with her lovely voice, likeable personality, and intellectual presence. It is interesting that these works from the avant-garde classics - not very suitable for voice, and difficult to intone – were performed without tension, and with the savoir-faire of a true natural."

R.Gudelis. Muzikos barai, March, 2001