US tour for Vaskas

In 1963, World Lithuanian President Juozas Bačiunas invited her to perform in concerts around America.  She travelled with her accompanist Dorothy Oldham and gave 12 concerts to Lithuanian communities. 

September 21 Detroit
September 28 Cleveland
October 6 Hamilton
October 12 Rochester
October 13 Boston
November 9 & 10 Chicago
November 16 Omaha
November 23 Los Angeles

Concerts also in Torone, Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore.

Gene sang a variety of songs from Lithuanian composers as well as Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Puccini.

Dorothy Oldham, Juozas Baciunas, Gene Vasiliauskas

 

Dorothy Oldham

Dorothy and Gene Vasiliauskas performing in the USA

Dorothy Oldham was born on 23 November 1896 in Adelaide.

Newspapers of the day referred Miss Dorothy Oldham ‘as a brilliant solo pianist and accompanist’.  Adelaide members were very familiar with seeing Miss Dorothy Oldham play the piano at Lithuanian concerts.  She would volunteer her time as pianist accompaniment, and would also represent Lithuanian at other nationality events.  

Dorothy at one time broke her leg and as a result had to call off all her engagements.  She practised with Lithuanian artists and would come to the hall to accompany Lithuanian singers who without her would be unable to fulfil their program.

Miss Oldham received her training at the Elder Conservatory on a scholarship before studying in Europe amongst prominent musicians such as Mark Hombourg pianoforte.  For many years Dorothy was accompanist to singer Elena Gerhardt.  Returning to Adelaide Dorothy regularly performed for the ABC, Elder Conservatory, Musica Viva. Dorothy performed in numerous small and large towns across Australia.

Dorothy was always referred to as Miss Dorothy Oldham, but she was married.  She married Arnold Knapman in 1920.  

Dorothy died in 1982 aged 86 years of age.

Blessed with a God given talent

Genė Vasiliauskienė yra daininkė iš Dievo malonės.

Stasys Santvaras (Pasaulio Lietuvis 1983)

Well-known singer soloist and longstanding choir mistress in Adelaide.

Genovaite Stanaityte was born in Griškabūdis, Sakiai region in the south western Lithuania, on 6 April 1921.  Genovaitė gained a love of music from her mother, she began singing at a young age.  At 18 years of age she began to study singing at the Kaunas Conservatory under Professor Gedan and V. Grigaitienė.  Later she studied at Vilnius Music school with Professor Kryzanowska.  The events of WWII did not stop her studies, which she continued at Hamburg Conservatory with Professor Berger.  

Upon arrival in Australia Genovaitė enrolled in the Adelaide Conservatory under Professor Howard.  She continued perfecting her voice with private tutelage A. Binkevičiutė – Gučiuvienė.

In Germany she gave numerous concerts in Fensburg, Hamburg, Spackenberg and Ventorf.

Her voice would be heard among the Lithuanian Community in Adelaide at concerts, national memorials, literature evenings, Baltic commemorations, Red Cross concerts, Good Neighbour concerts. 

As a soloist she performed with the Adelaide Lithuanian choir Lituania, at concerts performed in Adelaide, Lobethal, Kadina and Renmark. 

Gene was involved in the 5UV Lithuanian radio program.

In 1969 she succeeded Šimkus as conductor of Lituania.  A position she held until 1982.  She lead the Men’s octet Klajūnai and later organised a girls choir Eglutės.  After resigning from the choir she organised a women’s octet.

In 1964 she was invited to give a Lithuanian recital for the Festival of Arts. In 1965 she released a record.

In 1993, Genovaitė received an Order of Australia for her contribution to Lithuanian community and culture. 

She has sat on the Cultural committee of the National council, Lithuanian Day organiser committee.  

In 1980 she was awarded the Vilnius University 400 Years Jubilee Medal.

One admirer of her talents gave her an anonymous prize.

An unknown music-lover thought so highly of the singing of Mrs. Gene Vasiliauskas in this week's News and Mail Aria finals, that he or she sent along a personal prize of £15/15/.

Mrs. Vasiliauskas. 32, Lithuanian-born, who lives at Semaphore, came to Australia four years ago. She finished equal sixth in the final with 79 point to the 83 awarded the winner, Miss Patricia Beatty.

She is a soprano. Mrs. Vasiliauskas  received the £15/15/ through the post with a letter congratulating her on her fine singing.

Today Mrs. Vasiliauskas said:  'I express my sincere thanks to the unknown person for the surprise of such a personal prize. This kind attention gives me fresh encouragement in my efforts towards musical perfection.'

1 August 1953 The Mail

Friends of Lithuanian Minor Adelaide Branch

Adelaide Mažosios Lietuvos Bičiulių Draugijos

Lithuania Minor is a historical ethnographic region of Prussia, later East Prussia in Germany, where Prussian Lithuanians or Lietuvininkai lived.  Lithuania Minor enclosed the northern part of this province and got its name due to the territory's substantial Lithuanian-speaking population. Today a small portion of Lithuania Minor is within the borders of modern Lithuania and Poland while most of the territory is part of the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia. 

On 25 January 1953, over 200 people gathered in the Excelsior hall in Adelaide for a Klaipėda region commemoration.  The event was to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Klaipėda Revolt. The region was detached from the East Prussia of the German Empire by the Treaty of Versailles and became a mandate of the League of Nations.  It was placed under provisional French administration until a more permanent solution could be worked out. Lithuania wanted to unite with the region (part of Lithuania Minor) due to its large Lithuanian-speaking minority of Prussian Lithuanians and major port of Klaipėda – the only viable access to the Baltic Sea for Lithuania.  The Lithuanians organized and staged the revolt. The rebels established a pro-Lithuanian administration, which petitioned to unite with Lithuania citing the right of self-determination.  The League of Nations accepted the fait accompli and the Klaipėda Region was transferred as an autonomous territory to the Republic of Lithuania on February 17, 1923.  After prolonged negotiations a formal international agreement, the Klaipėda Convention, was signed in May 1924. The convention formally acknowledged Lithuania's sovereignty in the region and outlined its extensive legislative, judicial, administrative, and financial autonomy. The region remained part of Lithuania until March 1939 when it was transferred to Nazi Germany after the German ultimatum.

The commemoration began with Dorothy Oldham playing the Australian and Klaipėda region national anthem.  The event was opened by the Friends of Lithuania Minor president Valentinas Zalkauskas.  He honoured those who had died for Lithuania and the Klaipeda regions freedom. Mr Reinke gave a speech which was followed by a concert.  Eglė Rūkštelienė and Paulius Rūtenis sang a folk song.  They have a flair for interpreting songs and their song choice was very apt.  The songs beautifully showed their love of their homeland.  They sang ‘Sėdžiu prie langelio’ (Sitting by a window) and ‘Giedu giesmelę’ (I sing a song).

Adelaide theatre student Kučinskas gave an impressive recital of Prosčiunaitės “Vėjai iš rytų’ (wind from the east).

Dorothy Oldham was an outstanding Adelaide pianists, she is not Lithuanian but would often play piano for members of the community.