Festiwal 2020

 

 

Choir of the Assumption Orthodox Church

Warsaw, Poland

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conductor: Łukasz Rejt

 

The Choir was founded in 2000 on the initiative of Łukasz Rejt. It is one of the four choirs operating at the Basilians’ Church and it consists of Ukrainians residing permanently in Warsaw, as well as Ukrainian university students from outside the capital and immigrants from Ukraine. The Choir took part in the funeral ceremonies of Count de Werszowiec-Rey, Aleksander Malachowski and Jacek Kuroń; it also sang during the funeral services held at the Orthodox Cemetery in Wola in the quarters of Ukrainian soldiers killed in 1920 in defence of Warsaw. The Choir performed at the Music Academy in Warsaw, in the Basilica of the Holy Cross, the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Warsaw. In 2007 the Choir took part in the recordings for the Polish Television series „Plebania”, performed three times at the Orthodox Church Music Autumn Days in Gizycko. In 2008 the Choir recorded a CD with Orthodox Church music and fragments of Greek Catholic Liturgy (live). In 2012 they took part in Matins and Easter Liturgy retransmitted by the Polish Television. The Choir is a winner of IFOCM „Hajnówka 2013”. In the same year it released 2 more CDs. The Choir is led by Łukasz Rejt – graduate of the Faculty of Biology at the Warsaw University and the Archieparchial Regent Institute in Przemyśl, chorister of many choirs.Since 2003 he has been the deacon and regent of the Choir of the AssumptionOrthodox Church.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Sergei Alekseev – Create angels their own spirits
2. Yuiri Zuyev – Body of Christ
3. Michael Azovsky – Trisagion
4. Genadiy Lapayev – Mercy of peace
5. Unknown author – Cherubic hymn
6. Melody of the Ilynsky skit on Mount Athos – Gladsome light

 

 

„Esperimento” Vocal Ensemble

Białystok, Poland

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conductor: Barbara Kornacka

The Ensemble was founded at the turn of 2006 and 2007. It operates at the Youth Culture Center in Bialystok. The repertoire consists mainly of compositions from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque periods, but also Orthodox Church music and contemporary works. The Ensemble performs in Poland and abroad, takes part in numerous national and international competitions and choral festivals, winning the titles and awards. They have recorded 2 discs. The founder, artistic director and conductor of the Ensemble is Barbara Kornacka – graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw Branch in Bialystok and postgraduate of the choirmaster studies of the Music Academy in Bydgoszcz. She is also a conductor of other choirs and cooperates with theater groups. For her artistic activity she has been awarded with several prizes.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Unknown author – Holy God
2. Alexandr Arkhangelsky – Gladsome light
3. Dmitry Bortniansky – To Thee we sing
4. Sergei Rachmaninoff – Rejoice, o Virgin Theotokos
5. Nikolai Kedrov – Lord’s prayer
6. Yelena Yuniek – From my youth
7. Irina Denisova – With eyes of compassion
8. Romuald Twardowski – Praise the Lord

 

 

„Modo Maiorum” Chamber Vocal Ensemble
of the Evangelical-Reformed Parish

Warsaw, Poland

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conductor: Michał Straszewski

 

The Ensemble was founded in 2005. Its Latin name can be translated as: „in the way of the ancestors”. The group’s repertoire covers masses, motets, psalms, chants and other religious songs of various confessions (Evangelical, Orthodox, Catholic and others) as well as secular music – Renaissance madrigals, Polish patriotic songs, songs of Slavic nations, transcriptions of solo songs and popular songs, instrumental pieces. Choosing repertoire the Ensemble is guided by the beauty and high artistic values. The lau reate of numerous festivals performed in many Church ceremonies – meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, the Synod of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church, or the 70th anniversary of the Polish Ecumenical Council, and the secular ones – inaugurations of the academic year, exhibitions of paintings and photographs, independence anniversaries. The En -semble’s concerts during the Great, Lent and Christmas became a tradition.  Motto of the Ensemble is: He who sings – does not sin. From the beginning the Ensemble is led by Michał Straszewski – a versatile artist (violinist, vocalist, choir master), founder, conductor and artistic director of many ensembles performing mainly early music, graduate of the Poznan Music School in the violin class. After his return to Warsaw he devoted himself to pedagogical work, continuing his concert activity as a violinist – chamber musician.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Michał Straszewski – Holy God
2. Unknown author – Joy of all who sorrow
3. Dmitry Bortniansky – Let my prayer arise
4. Dmitry Bortniansky – To Thee we sing
5. Dmitry Bortniansky – Lord’s prayer
6. Michał Straszewski – Many years

 

 

„Bel Canto” Olsztyn Choir

Olsztyn, Poland

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conductor: Jan Połowianiuk

 

The Choir was founded in 1996, has performed over 400 concerts in Poland and abroad and has participated in 38 competitions and festivals, winning 42 awards and titles, including the IFOCM 1997, 2008 and 2011. The Choir premiered numerous compositions, i.e. during the IFOCM 2005 the Polish premiere of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Op. 41 by P. Tchaikovsky. An important event was also the reading of the composer’s manuscript and the world premiere of Feliks Nowowiejski’s „Missa de Lourdes” opus 49. no. 5 in November 2017. The Choir’s repertoire consists of almost 300 a cappella songs and 34 vocal-instrumental works. The great success of the Choir was the official Polish musical delegation at the beatification ceremonies of John Paul II in the Vatican and Rome in May 2011. Together with the National Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Radio in Katowice the Choir took part in a thanksgiving mass in St. Peter’s Square and performed the world premiere of Michał Lorenc’s composition „Missa Magna Beatyficationis” in the Roman church of St. Ignatius. The choir has recorded 3 CDs. The Minister of Culture and National Heritage honored the Choir with medal for merit for culture for its contribution to the popularization of musical art. Since the beginning the Choir has been conducted by Jan Połowianiuk – professor at the Faculty of Art of the University of Warmia and Mazury, director of the Institute of Music, choirmaster and cultural animator.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Dmitry Bortniansky – Come, let us sing o ye people concert nr 15, part I
2. Giuseppe Sarti – Rejoice people
3. Dmitry Bortniansky – It is truly meet
4. Archbishop Yonafan – Blessed are the chosen ones
5. Romuald Twardowski – A new joy has been revealed
6. Romuald Twardowski – Alleluia

 

 

Saint Ephraim Male Choir

Budapest, Hungary

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conductor: Tamas Bubno

 

 

Hungary’s most popular vocal group was formed in 2002 by Liszt Award and Artist of Merit winner – Tamás Bubnó. The Choir was named after Saint Ephraim the Syrian (306-373). Initially, the Choir specialized in Byzantine music, which contributed to the Choir’s international success, which began in 2006 at the IFOCM „Hajnówka”, where they won first prize in the professional choirs category. This prestigious award paved the way for international festivals and concerts throughout Europe, as well as Morocco, India, UAE and South America. Turn towards the interest in the Hungarian choral legacy led the Choir to liturgy for male choir of the Greek Catholic priest János Boksay, which was rediscovered by Tamás Bubnó. The Choir began to work on the forgotten pieces of Franz Liszt and Béla Bartók. In this way, in addition to preserving the Byzantine musical heritage, the Choir nurtures the male choral music of the Hungary’s great masters. The group takes part in services, religious music events, and performs in numerous prestigious national and international festivals and concert halls. The unique sound of the Choir became familiar to many contemporary composers, some of whom have written pieces especially for the ensemble. The Choir has released 13 albums. Some of the members of the Choir are aspiring composers, they often compose and rearrange pieces to expand the Choir’s repertoire. The Choir have been awarded with the Hungarian Heritage Award and the Budapest Brand Award. The group is the organizer of the famous annual concert series „Orientale Lumen”.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Dmitry Bortniansky – Glory to God in the highest
2. Boldizsár Csiky – De-nceputul lumiei dentîiu
3. Romuald Twardowski – Praise the Name of the Lord
4. János Boksay – Lord’s Prayer
5. Tamás Bubnó – Ruthenian Christmas songs from Transcarpathia

 

Choir of the Archangel Michael’s
Orthodox Church
Riga, Latvia

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conductor: Max Roomsky

 

T he Choir’s main activity is participation in church services. The repertoire consists of works ranging from the znamenny chant and old monastic ry. Since 2012 the Choir’s conductor is Max Roomsky – a graduate of the choral conducting of the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Genadiy Lapayev – O Only Begotten Son
2. Alexandr Gretchaninov – Cherubic hymn
3. Byzantine chant – Praise the Name of the Lord
4. Sergei Trubachov – From my youth
5. Alexandr Kastalsky – The righteous shall be in eternal rememberance
6. Dmitry Bortniansky – Blessed is the man, that feareth the Lord

 

 

„Cantata” Academic Choir
of the Technical University
Kraków, Poland

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conductor: Marta Stós

 

The Choir was founded in 1990. It presents a rich and varied repertoire consisting of Polish and foreign works, both early and contemporary music. The Choir has won many awards and distinctions in Polish and foreign competitions and festivals. Since 2001 the Choir has been conducted by Marta Stós – Master of Arts, lecturer, graduate of the Jagiellonian University’s Philosophy and Choral Conducting at the Music Academy in Cracow. She also completed postgraduate studies in Liturgical Monody at the John Paul II University in Cracow, participant of numerous seminars and master classes for conductors.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Kiril Stetsenko – Bless the Lord, o my soul
2. Dobri Hristov – In Thy Kingdom soloist: Karina Piętak
3. Sergei Rachmaninoff – Rejoice, o Virgin Theotokos
4. Arvo Pärt – Rejoice, o Virgin Theotokos
5. Nikolai Lebedev – My soul doth magnify the Lord
6. Andrei Makor – Lord’s prayer
7. Romulad Twardowski – Alleluia

 

 

Nektaria Karantzi
with Byzantine Female Choir “Psaltries”
Piraeus, Greece

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conductor: Nektaria Karantzi

 

 

T he choir was founded in 2017 by Nektaria Karantzi, Doctor of Laws, an eminent Greek singer of sacred music internationally acclaimed as one of the best female voices of Byzantine chant and sacred music. She has been invited for master classes organized by renowned universities and musical centers in Europe such as the Liszt Academy, the University of Sorbonne, and the Spanish University of Oviedo. She performed in the presence of the highest dignitaries of the church. She is the composer and performer of the soundtrack for the Serbian film „The Healing”, has taken part in many TV programs. She is the founder and the president of the “Women in Byzantine Music Worldwide Association” and the president of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra in Athens. Awarded for her contribution to the development of Byzantine music collaborates with eminent figures of the music world, including pianist, conductor and composer Vassilis Tsabropoulos, whom with in an artistic combination inspired by byzantine hymns joins the West and the East touring in Europe several times. The Choir specializes in Byzantine music highlighting the beauty of the female approach to the Byzantine Hymns. The Choir belongs to the “Women in Byzantine Music Worldwide Association” – the world’s first official and largest organization of this kind.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Psalm of David – My soul give praise to the Lord
2. Byzantine hymn – What God is as great as our God?
3. Byzantine hymn – O Lord I have cried to Thee
4. Greek traditional psaltotragoudo from East Thrace, arranged by Nektaria Karantzi –
Lamentation over the Fall of Constantinople
5. Byzantine Hymns of the Orthodox Divine Service
6. O gladsome Light
7. Byzantine hymn arranged by Vassilis Tsabropoulos – Lord of Hosts
8. Selected verses of the Psalm 50 in Aramaic language, music – f. Seraphim Bit-Kharibi
9. Kyrie eleison in Greek, Russian, Romanian and Polish language, music – Monks of Mount Athos

 

„Logos” Male Choir
Riga, Latvia

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conductor: Yoan Shenrock

 

The Choir was founded in 1989. Its name (from Greek: word, idea, teaching) is deeply symbolic as its mission is to retranslate to the audience an essence of lyrics which is vital to create a special bound between the public and the musicians. The beginnings of the Choir’s activity were supported by the Latvian Culture Fund, thanks to which the Choir was able to perform in the country and abroad. Most im pressive achievement at that time was performance of the „Apocalipsis”, a monumental piece by the contemporary Russian composer Vladimir Martynov and staged by the legendary founder and producer of the Taganka Theatre in Moscow – Yuri Lubimov. The piece was also performed in 1997 during the IFOCM „Hajnówka”. The Choir also takes part in liturgies in the Cathedral of the Nativity in Riga. The founder and conductor of the Choir is Fr. Yoan Shenrock – graduate of the Moscow Orthodox Seminary, the Latvian Music Academy and the Faculty of Theology of the Latvian University, where he worked as a lecturer. He was also a lecturer at the Latvian Academy of Culture, a conductor and artistic director of the Latvia’s Metropolitan’s Choir and the Riga Orthodox Choir.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Romuald Twardowski – Praise the Name of the Lord
2. Romuald Twardowski – To Thee we sing
3. Georgy Izvekov – With my tears
4. Мaxim Kotogarov – My soul
5. Alexandr Barayev – Now I have approached Thee
6. Alexandr Arkhangelsky – Blessed is he, who considers the poor
7. Alexandr Barayev – I am stranger

 

„St. Yoan Kukuzel – the Angel-Voiced”
Male Ensemble
Sofia, Bulgaria

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conductor: Kristian Popov

 

The Choir was founded in 1967 and was the first performer of ancient Bulgarian Orthodox chants not only in the country, but also abroad. In addition to its concerts and recording activities, the Choir is also engaged in the search and recovery of ancient musical pieces, which for the most part are not only the first records, but also the first performances of ancient melodies nowadays. The Choir performs across all Europe, takes part in symposia, conferences, as well as radio and television programs in the country, such as recording the soundtracks for historical films. Among the Choir’s most honorable concerts are: several performances for John Paul II in the Vatican, for the President of Austria at the Hovburg Palace, the President of Italy in Rome, where the Vatican Radio recorded the Choir’s concert in 2006 on the occasion of Bulgaria’s accession to the EU. Conducted by Dymitr Dymitrov became a laureate of the IFOCM „Hajnówka”. Since 2015 the Choir’s artistic director and conductor is Kristian Popov – graduate of the choral conducting of the National Academy of Music, soloist of operas and musicals.

 

PROGRAM

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1. Bulgarian chant – Lord have mercy
2. Unknown author – To Thee we sing
3. Yoan Kukuzel – Praise the Lord from the Heavens soloist: Nikola Antonov
4. Nikolai Kedrov (father) – Lord’s Prayer
5. Kiril Popov – Praise the Lord from the Heavens soloist: Georgy Mikov
6. Grigoriy Lubimov – Blessed is the man soloist: Stefan Arininsky

 

 

Honorary Patronage
OF THE PRESIDENT
OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND
ANDRZEJ DUDA

Artistic Patronage
OF KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI (2003-2020)

Patronage
OF THE POLISH COMPOSERS’ UNION

Patronage
OF THE PRESIDENT OF BIAŁYSTOK
Tadeusz Truskolaski

 

Media Patronage:
Polish Television – Corporate Patronage
Polish Radio – Corporate Patronage
Bimonthly ArtPost

Regional Media Patronage:
Polish Television Białystok
Polish Radio Białystok
Weekly „Niva”
Radio Racja
TVK Hajnówka