THE FULBRIGHT EXPERIENCE
What a better way to celebrate my Lithuanian heritage than receiving a Fulbright! I began my Fulbright experience in Lithuania in September of 2004. While the majority of my work was done at The Academy of Music and Theatre, I was also asked to do a number of lectures, master classes and concerts. These included:
• A Lecture on Musical Theatre at the American Embassy.
• Master classes at numerous elementary schools.
• Piano and singing for the American Embassy, Presidential Election night.
• Keynote speaker for the Lithuanian Association of English Teachers, Vilnius Pedagogical University, Department of Philology.
• Vocal Coach for Kaunas Music Theatre production of Cabaret.
• Soloist with the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Donatas Kaitkus, National Drama Theatre, Vilnius, Lithuania, February 16, 2005.
• “Songs by Per Erland R,” Music Library, Odense, Denmark, February, 2005.
• “Songs from the American Musical Theatre,” American Center, United States Embassy, December 5, 2004. Accompanist Egle Perkumaite.”
• “Songs from the American Musical Theatre,” Preiniu Gymnasia, Preiniu, Lithuania, December 2004. Accompanist Egle Perkumaite.
I was granted an extension to my Fulbright and returned to Lithuania for a month in September of 2005. During that time I continued my work at the academy teaching and coaching and also performed two concerts once again sponsored by the American Embassy:
• “American Songs…Old and New” palace of Duke Mykolas Ognskis, September, 2005. Accompanist Jurate Kuodiene.
• “American Songs…Old and New” Plunge “Saules” School, September, 2005. Accompanist Jurate Kuodiene.
OUTCOMES OF THE FULBRIGHT EXPERIENCE
Since returning from my Fulbright experience there has been a significant amount of work that has continued to make me a frequent visitor to Lithuania. Of special note is that I have been the guest host to three Fulbright Artists and two Artist-in-Residences from Lithuania during my tenure at the University of Kansas:
• Romuladas Viksraitis, Visiting Fulbright Scholar, 2009. (Lithuania)
• Egle Perkumaite-Vikrsraitiene, Artist in Residence, 2009. (Lithuania)
• Algis Mazeika, Visiting Fulbright Scholar, 2008. (Lithuania)
• Egle Perkumaite-Vikrsraitiene, Visiting Fulbright Scholar, 2005. (Lithuania)
• Romuladas Viksraitis, Artist in Residence, 2005. (Lithuania)
Since my Fulbright, I have returned numerous times to perform a series of concerts and direct the first American Musical performed by Lithuanian actors and musicians in English at the professional theatre Elfu Teatras, and tow productions of musicals at two national theatres in 2015.
• “Broadway Songs,” Anyksciai, Lithuania, December 2015. Accopanist; Egle Perkumaite.
• “Musical Theatre Songs,” with Alicia Gian, Mezzo-Soprano, Vilnius, Lithuania, June, 2010. Accompanist; Egle Perkumaite.
• “Songs from the American Musical Theatre: Bernstein, Berlin and Sondheim,” with Jurate Rudzianskaite, Soprano, XII International Festival of Opera and Symphonic Music: Music at the Seaside, Kleipeda, Lithuania, August 4, 2009. Accompanist: Egle Perkumaite.
• ”Musical, Musical: A Concert in two parts “The Masters of American Musical,” with Jurate Rudzianskaite, Soprano, VI International H. Frenkelis Villa Summer Festival, Siauliai, Lithuania, July 21, 2009. Accompanist: Egle Perkumaite.
• “Songs from the American Musical Theatre,” with Jurate Rudzianskaite, Soprano, Vilnius, Lithuania, December 17, 2006. Accompanist: Egle Perkumaite.
• Elfu Teatras, Vilnius, Lithuania. No Way to Treat a Lady, Director and Choreographer, 2010.
• National Music Theatre, Kleipeda, Lithuania, Nunsense, Director and Choreographer, 2015.
• Joazas Miltinas National Theatre, Panavesys, Lithuania, The Fantasticks, Director and Choreographer, 2015.
I was also asked to do a series of lectures and presentations in Musical Theatre and Voice sponsored by the American Embassy in Lithuania, Siauliai University and Vilnius College, March 20-25, 2011. I have served on the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, Discipline Reviewer (Theatre) for the Fulbright Scholar Program, 2011-2014 and was a Council for International Exchange of Scholars, Faculty Associate in the Fulbright Scholar Program, 2009. My Fulbright experience has been extremely rich and rewarding and I will continue to foster this relationship in my future career.