Lithuanian folk ensembles as bonding social capital: Perspectives on participatory music-making in vilnius

The purpose of this study was to examine the culture of four Lithuanian folk ensembles with particular attention to the perceived values and benefits for participants and the perceived functions of the ensembles in local and national communities. Based on five months of ethnographic fieldwork in Vilnius, findings suggest a wide range of benefits associated with participation that vary across generations. Folk ensembles emerged as critical to the preservation and dissemination of a living body of folk culture and also serve to cultivate a sense of Lithuanian identity among members. Findings are examined using a social capital framework and the notion of Lithuanian folk ensemble as generators of flexible bonding social capital is forwarded.