ULA

Vilnius' traditional and catholic ethnomusic ensemble "Ūla" was established in 1987. There are 28 people from many different backgrounds who sing, dance, and play in this ensemble. Most of the participants are people who have university degrees. These performers, who represent many different regions of Lithuania, have managed to preserve the old ethnic songs and sacred catholic cantos which they heard and sang in childhood. The group is lead by Janina Bukantaitė, a librarian of Žemaitija (lowland) origin, and by Egidijus Virbašius, an Aukštaitis (highland) musician, a specialist in the reconstruction of traditional musical instruments. "Ūla" has recorded 9 tapes of ethnic music, 4 tapes of sacred cantos and one compact disk of ethnic music. The group has also participated in international folklore festivals in Lithuania, Latvia, France, Germany, Norway and Canada. The recordings of the ensemble can also be heard on Oslo (Norway) and Lithuanian radio. The live songs, dances, games and instrumental music is fascinating for its faithfulness to reality; all the performers sing, dance and play the way they did in their childhood.