VMU ŠA Mixed Choir “AVE VITA”

The choir Ave Vita is a participant in national and Baltic student song and dance festivals such as Gaudeamus, as well as various competitions and international festivals. It has won awards at numerous competitions held in Darmstadt (Germany), Heythuysen (Netherlands), Valletta (Malta), Montreux and Neuchâtel (Switzerland), Athens (Greece), Cantonigros (Spain), Neerpelt (Belgium), Veldhoven (Netherlands), Ankara (Turkey), Olomouc (Czech Republic), and others. The choir has also successfully performed at international festivals and concerts in the USA, Mexico, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, Russia, Poland, France, Latvia, Slovakia, Spain, and more. Due to its international activity, Ave Vita has received the “Golden Bird” award for the “Star of International Shine,” the highest recognition for a collective in Lithuania.

The ensemble organizes around 40–50 concerts per year in universities, schools, churches, and concert halls. Its repertoire includes works of varying complexity: religious and popular music, compositions by Lithuanian and foreign authors, and harmonized Lithuanian and other folk songs. The choir also performs large-scale works in collaboration with symphonic orchestras such as the University of Bonn, Justus Liebig University Giessen, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Vilnius Amateur Music Orchestra, Vilnius Simfonietta, the Chamber Orchestra of the Lithuanian National Philharmonic, the State Wind Orchestra Trimitas, and the Lithuanian Armed Forces Wind Orchestra.

Under the guidance of its charismatic and youthful conductor Kastytis Barisas, the choir began its musical television career in 2009, debuting successfully in the LRT music project Lietuvos balsai. In 2010, the choir participated in the music project Žvaigždžių duetai alongside Vaida Genytė and collaborated with E. Andrulis, R. Stoškuvienė, Mija, and G. Leščinskas. Later, the choir appeared in various TV concerts and projects, including Auksinis balsas, performing with Jurga Šeduikytė, Vaidus Baumila, Karina Krysko-Skambinė, and Paulius Bagdonavičius, as well as in the project Dvi žvaigždės with Ramūnas Difartas and the group VIG Roses.

Another major project of the choir is the theatricalized presentation of traditional costumes in the concert Raštų pynė. This unique project showcases authentic Lithuanian folk costumes and songs from five Lithuanian regions (Aukštaitija, Žemaitija, Suvalkija, Dzūkija, and the Klaipėda region). With this project, the choir has toured extensively in Lithuania and abroad, performing in Russia (2010, 2011), Hungary (2011), Germany (2013), and Belarus (2015).

The choir is led by Kastytis Barisas.

Although the ensemble is not part of the Arts Centre, it currently operates within the university as an independent organization.