San Francisco Lithuanian Choir “Ūkana”

The San Francisco Lithuanian choir “Ūkana” began as a daughter’s tribute to her mother — a love of music passed through generations.

 

In 2009, Indrė Viskontaitė, newly graduated with a master’s in music, formed a small Bay Area choir to honor her mother, Dalia Skrinskaitė-Viskontienė, then Artistic Director of the North American Song Festival. Named after San Francisco’s fog, “Ūkana” first rehearsed in Indrė’s living room.

 

In 2015, the group grew for the Chicago festival. At the XI North American Lithuanian Song Festival in Cleveland, mother and daughter reunited to lead the choir, singing alongside 65 regional groups. The choir is now led by Vanesa Kašelionytė (Kaselionis) — singer, choir director, and San Francisco Lithuanian Artistic Director — who previously led the California Lithuanian Women’s Choir in Vilnius’s centennial Song Festival.

 

What began as a heartfelt gesture is now a vibrant, intergenerational musical community.