The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-11-17
Lithuanian Singers
 Given Big Ovation
800 Attend Concert Sunday Night; Mr., Mrs 0ranta'
 Entertain at Masquerade Party
BROOKLYN NEWS

An enthusiastic audience Of about
 800 persons heard the Lithuanian
 song festival held last night ct st.
 JoSeph's hall by the Connecticut dis-
 trict Lithuanian Catholic Choirs,
 Nearly 200 voices, representing the
 local St. Joseph's parish Knights of
 Lithuania Choir, the Church Stu-
 dent Choir, The Holy Trinity Choir
 of Hartford, and the St. Georges
 Church Choir of Bridgeport, parti-
 cipated. The concert was the first in
 a series to be presented by the
 group in several cities of the state,
 the next one scheduled for Sunday,
 November g at St. Georges hall,
 Bridgeport. Plans for the concerts
 were promoted by the recently ore
 ganiZed Connecticut Lithuanian Catholic Choir Committee, an auXil- iary to the state Lithuanian organ
 ists' Association.
 Much appreciation for the musical undertaking, the first of It's kind to be presented by the three combined choirs, was voiced by the speakers of the evening who included the Rt., Rev. John J. Ambot, pastor, and Rev John Kripas, assistant pastor of the Holy Trinity church, Hartford; Rev. Joseph Kazlauskas, formerly assist ant pastor at St. Joseph's church, and now pastor of St. Georges church, Bridgeport; Rev. Benedict Gauronskas, assistant pastor of St. Joseph's church, wil5 spoke in the absence of the pastor, Rev. Joseph J. Valentiejus; Anicetas Simutis and Vytautas Stasinskas, both of whom are attaches of the Lithuanian con- sulate in New York; Joseph Laucka, editor of the Lithuanian newspaper America" published in Brooklyn, N. Y. and national president of the Federation of Lithuanian Roman Catholic Societies of America. Rev. Joseph Bogusas, of Fordham Univer- sity, Rev. Alfred Cabitor and Rev. Albert Zanavich, assistants at St. Joseph's church, were among the other guests present. Many other prominent Lithuanians from cities throughout the state attended.
 MT. Simutis said the concert brought back memories of Lithuania as 1t was in the days of its freedom when similar concerts were so pop ular there. He expressed the hope that the tyrannical rule nov gain ing way in Europe wifi be over- thrown and that once again the song and joy of Lithuanian and other oppressed nations will ring forth,
 MT. Laucka spoke of the import ance of preserving Lithuanian songs and Lithuanian culture, expressing praise for the achievement of the Connecticut choirs.
 Professor Alexander J. Aleksis, choirmaster of St. Joseph,s church, directed the combined choirs. An thony Stanisauskas, head of the St. Georges choir was accompanist, and Justin Balsis, director of the Hart ford unit, served as master of cere- monies.
 Songs By Professor AIeksis
 Among the selections rendered were three compositions of Profess sor Aleksis: "Bernele Muso" (Our Dedu, bdCk 10 kI1e gdtIleTlhIlu from an operetta of the same name, both of which were sung by the | combined choirs, and Deep Tn My | Heart" which was rendered by Val eria Kaunietas, soloist of Hartford. | Other composers whose works were | included in the program were Vana- gaitis, Pocius, Petrauskas, Groudis, SimSus, Kelpsa, Sasnaus- kas, Vaiciunas and Kudirka.
 A Lithuanian folk dance was part of the presentation by the St. Jo- Seph's Choir. participants being AL dona Bukauskas Joseph Coskie, Jurkewicz, Al Jarus, Marlcn Krunglevich, Joseph Janosh, Joan Lusas, and Anthony Bukaus- kas. The local presentation also in- cluded songs by a sextet composed | of Adele Greblunas. Marcelle An- drikis. Celine smoiskis. Mary Alu- bauskas. Joan and Adele Llisas; and | by male octet made up of Al Jerus. Anthony Miklinevich. Alexan- der Markus, Aleird Ulinskas, Joseph | Janosh, Joseph Coskie, Paul Kauneckis. and Vincent Klimas, So- l loists of the Student choir were