Magdalena Žilinskaitė Aukštakalnienė - A life of song

It seems that Magdutė life was one of music and song.  A soloist and choir member, mezo soprano, she was born and raised in Kaunas. A member of St. Michael the Archangel's Church and Kaunas Basilica choir.

She joined the Lithuanian National opera choir and when an operetta was created she was accepted as a soloist. During the summer, when theatre groups toured Lithuanian cities she was amongst the them.

Towards  the end of WWII, Magdute moved to Germany.  She found the emerging Čiurlionis ensemble members and immediately joined their work.  There was no camp in Germany that the Čiurlionis ensemble did not visit and stir a deep love of Lithuanians in their hearts with their concerts.  The ensemble's travels were not easy, as they had to travel hundreds of kilometres by freight trains and military trucks. The Čiurlionis members did not complain of these tiresome trips, and Magdutė also never complained about her hard part.

She boarded the General Stewart ship arriving in Australia on 13 April 1949. She was to work at the Victorian Railways at Seymour, Victoria.

She married Lithuanian Pranas Aukštikalnis in Australia soon after arriving and had two children.  

Magdutė participated in the Melbourne Lithuanian community, there was no shortage of her anywhere - in celebrations and preparations, not only with her singing, but also with her extremely lively mood, it seems that she was born for that, to make others happy and entertained.  She was always alive, energetic, cheerful and friendly . She had an extraordinary love for Lithuanian youth.

Magdutė joined the Melbourne Lithuanian choir and sang whener asked, annual concerts, various commemorations, song festivals, Melbourne women's sextet and on Sundays St. John's Church.  She participated in all the song festivals around Australia.

She was buried on 22 January, having passed away four days previously.  Buried in Cheltenham cemetery, Melbourne where a  large number of the Melbourne community came to pay their respects. Members of the Melbourne Lithuanian choir, dressed in national clothes, stood on either side of the coffin as she made her final earthly journey.