CIOFF^®

International Instrumental Folk Music Festval 'Griezyné'

International

International instrumental folk music festival „Griežyne“ is the oldest such genre event in the Eastern Baltic region. It was 1992 when the idea of two enthusiasts of instrumental folk music Algirdas Klova ir Arunas Lunys came true and takes place every two years in Vilnius.

The name of the festival was chosen purposefully. Griežyne is a dialect word for a fiddle, one of the main folk instruments in Lithuania and other countries. Vilnius gathers a great number of fiddlers from different sides of the world.

The festival seeks to familiarise people with folk music performers, folk instruments, and traditional music of different countries. It purposes to demonstrate to the festival guests the authentic tradition of Lithuanian folk music performance. In 14 years the festival has already hosted musicians from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Finland, England, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Peru, Ireland, Wales, USA, Italy, Hungary, Japan, Iran, Turkey, China and many other parts of the world.

„Griežyne“ is more than concerts. It includes shows of musical instruments and exhibitions of pictures featuring folk music performers, folklore documentaries presenting ethnographic material on customs, musical instruments' production, meetings with the musicians, and instrument craftsmen.