4FUN

Julija RITČIK - vocal, acoustic guitar (the main songwriter of the band)
Andžej ZUJEVIČ- lead guitar (electric/acoustic), back vocal
Justas JASENKA - rhythm guitar (electric/acoustic), vocal
Rimantas JASENKA - bass, vocal
Laimonas STANIULIONIS - drums, percussion (management)

4FUN was formed in 2001 when Julija and Laimonas separated from a well-known Lithuanian blues band The Road Band. It took a couple of years to make the band a stable one. Justas and Andžej joined 4FUN in 2002. Rimantas joined the band in 2006 (though in 1996-1997 Julija and Laimonas used to play together with him in The Road Band. 4FUN performs in music clubs and participates in different music events and festivals throughout Lithuania and Europe.

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In 2003, 4FUN won an LCMA (Lithuanian Country Musicians Association) award “LOVE 2001-2003″ for the best debut of 2 years. In 2004, at “Visagino Country” (international annual country music festival, Lithuania) the band got a special prize “Auktaitijos dvasia” from the sponsors of the festival. In 2004, 4FUN released the first CD - a live album Gyvas (which means both “Alive” and “Live” in Lithuanian) - it was a record of a live performance on Lithuanian National Radio.

Julia RITČIK

Julia finished a piano class speciality at a music school. She started her singing career in 1994 in a well-known Lithuanian blues band The Road Band. She sang with it for longer than 6 years and recorded together 6 albums. In 1995-1997, Julia took part in a project “The Acoustic Trio” (V. Jutas, J. Ritcik, A. Belkin) and together with it recorded an album in 1995.

Julia also sang for 5 years with The Country Blues Session Band (CBSB) lead by a well-known Lithuanian composer and fiddler A. KLOVA, together with this band she recorded an album in 2001. In 1999, Julia along CBSB participated in the song competition “Country Europe” in Mrągowo (Poland) where the band won the second award (Julia sang both contest songs; one of them was her original composition Ant Krantų).

In 1994-2001, with the bands The Acoustic Trio, The Road Band and CBSB Julia performed in many jazz, blues and country music festivals in Lithuania, in some international blues festivals in Minsk, Kiev and Moscow and country music festivals in Poland, Latvia and The Netherlands.

In 1998, Julija won an LCMA (Lithuanian Country Musicians Association) award as the best singer. She is included into 2002 catalogue “Who is who in Lithuania” (Lithuanian edition).

Besides, Julia has got two higher educations (in 1993 she graduated from Vilnius University with a bachelor’s degree in programming and in 2002 from Vilnius Pedagogical University with a bachelor’s degree in ELT). Since 1996, she has worked as an English teacher in a secondary school in Vilnius.

Andžej ZUJEVIČ

Andžej finished a piano class at a music school. In 2003 he graduated from Vilnius Conservatory guitar faculty (he was a disciple of a famous Lithuanian musician and guitar teacher Stasys Daugirdas).

At the moment he is a student of Vilniaus Music and Theatre Academy guitar faculty, this year he’s going to graduate with a bachelor degree. In 2004, Andžej won the first prize in Vilnius guitarists competitions. He also performs in music clubs with various jazz projects and is invited for recording in studios a s a session musician.

Justas JASENKA

Justas dealt with music since he was a child. He finished a piano class at a music school.

His guitar teacher was a well-known Lithuanian blues guitarist Vladimir Kaplan. Justas also studied acting in Vilnius Music and Theatre Academy.

Rimantas JASENKA

Rimantas played in many different groups: Trimitas, Ritmas, Estradines Melodijos, Oktava, Coda, Vienkiemis, The Road Band, CBSB, Spiridis (Latvia), Kestutis Antanelis Band, Aleksandr Orlov Band, Laimutis Vilkoncius Band.

He has also played with the “Kristoforas” symphony orchestra. With these groups he toured many European, African, Latin American and Arabian countries. He has sung in Lithuanian famous rock operas Romeo and Juliet and Per Gunt by Kęstutis Antanelis. He also played and sung in the firs European performances of Jesus Christ Super Star in 1972.

Laimonas STANIULIONIS

Laimonas finished a trombone class at a music school. Then he studied drums in Vilnius Conservatory, played in a rock group The Endless Way and participated in several youth jazz-rock projects.

Later Laimonas continued studying drums in Guildhall School of Music and Drama in the UK. After he came back to Lithuania he played in The Road Band for four years, recorded four albums with it and participated in many festivals. Laimonas also played drums in CBSB and recorded one album with it. Laimonas is a member of LCMA, at the moment he holds the post of the assistant director of the Association. Laimonas is also the manager of 4FUN.

Participants: 4FUN
Song: Love Or Leave
Writer: Julija RITČIK
Composer: Julija RITČIK
Broadcaster: LRT
National selection: Eurovizija 2007

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