Vilnius Shalom Festival Closing Concert

On October 7 at 7:00 PM, we invite you to the LVSO Concert Hall for the official closing concert of the Vilnius Shalom Festival. Marking the third anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel, the international October Jazz Ensemble, bringing together musicians from 11 countries, will present a moving and hopeful musical program dedicated to the victims of the October 7 terror attack.

October Jazz Ensemble:
Rugilė Daujotaitė – vocals, kanklės, flute, percussion (Lithuania)
Karolina Kieraitė – vocals, electronics (Lithuania)
Lovisa Landström Ruhnau – vocals, cello (Germany / Sweden)
Jakob Kulke – trumpet, euphonium, shofar (Switzerland)
Davit Avetisyan – soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, duduk, blul (Lithuania / Armenia)
Jonny Boston – tenor saxophone, clarinet, shofar, vocals (Netherlands / United Kingdom)
Tadas Daujotas – vocals, shofars (Lithuania)
Ofer Portugaly – piano (Israel)
Bastiaan Johannes Lodewijk Gankema – piano (Netherlands)
Emanuel Schmidt – guitar, baritone guitar (Switzerland)
Chris Coulter – bass guitar (USA / Argentina / Italy)
Iris Portugaly – drums, vocals (Israel)

The concert program will feature jazz interpretations of Jewish music together with the world premieres of works composed especially for the Vilnius Shalom Festival:

Swiss composer Emanuel Schmidt’s Rhapsody for the Bibas Family is dedicated to the memory of the Bibas family—Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, who were murdered in Gaza—and also honors the story of Yarden Bibas, who survived Hamas captivity, reflecting his suffering, resilience, and hope.

The evening will also feature the world premiere of Jazz Suite in Memory of October 7 by Lithuanian composer Leonardas Pilkauskas. Creation of this musical work was partially funded by the Association LATGA.

More than the culmination of the festival, this concert will serve as a musical expression of solidarity, inviting audiences to remember the innocent victims, honor the heroes, and bear witness through music to humanity, hope, and peace.

Tickets available through Bilietai.lt

Vilnius Shalom Festival is the third international festival of Jewish music and culture, held in Lithuanian capital Vilnius, a city often referred to as the Jerusalem of the North. From September 13 to October 7, enjoy a rich program of classical, jazz, and klezmer concerts, the Shofar March, and educational events.

The project is funded by: the Lithuanian Council for Culture, the Goodwill Foundation, the Vilnius City Municipality, the Israel–Lithuania Chamber of Commerce, the Embassy of Israel in Lithuania, the Embassy of Germany in Lithuania, the Polish Institute in Vilnius, the Department of National Minorities under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, Knygos.lt, Wix.com, Park Inn by Radisson Vilnius Airport, Association LATGA, and private sponsors.

Project partners: the Lithuanian Jewish (Litvak) Community, the Vilna Gaon Museum of Jewish History, and the Vilnius Jewish Public Library, Crescendo International.

Media partner: LRT Plius

Please note: Photographs and video recordings may be taken during the events. The resulting images and recordings may be used for publicity purposes, including publication in the media and on social media platforms.