JDU ACADEMIC CHOIR AT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL IN TURKEY

The Jan Dlugosz University Academic Choir in Czestochowa represented Poland at an international choral festival held in Çanakkale, Turkey. The event brought together 17 choirs from Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia and Poland, showcasing the richness of choral traditions while fostering international artistic collaboration.

Under the direction of dr Marek Kudra, the choir gave three concerts: at the Troy Museum, in the concert hall of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, and at an open-air concert on the seafront promenade by the harbour. The concert programme featured works inspired by Polish folk music alongside excerpts from Ariel Ramírez's Misa Criolla, one of the most celebrated choral works of the twentieth century, combining the Catholic liturgy with the musical traditions of South America.

The solo parts were performed by Wiktoria Śliskowska and Sara Ludwig, whose interpretations received a particularly warm reception from the audience. The choir was accompanied by an instrumental ensemble comprising dr Korneliusz Wiatr (piano), Wojciech Królikowski (bass guitar), Iwo Hecht and Michał de Lorm (guitars), and Kamil Barszcz and Adam Jaszczyk (percussion).

A major highlight of the festival was the world première of Scherzando - Upper Silesian Portrait for Two Pianos, composed by Professor Lesław Podolski, performed by Professor Robert Gawroński and dr Jakub Brawata.

The visit to Turkey also had an important educational and cultural dimension. The participants visited the Gallipoli Peninsula battlefields and memorial sites, explored the Troy Museum, and discovered the attractions of Çanakkale, a picturesque city on the Dardanelles, enjoying its beaches and waterfront atmosphere.

The entire project was carried out as an artistic and academic initiative in cooperation between Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa and the Polyphonic Art and Choirs Association. It stands as an excellent example of the successful integration of artistic activity, academic collaboration and international cultural exchange.