Warsaw Choir Festival “On the Royal Route”

Between 1 and 5 August 2009, the Foundation inaugurated the Warsaw Choir Festival on the Royal Route. Concerts by choirs and vocal ensembles from different countries and different cultural backgrounds took place in the beautiful churches of the Old Town and Krakowskie Przedmieście. The concerts were also repeated in places far from the city centre in order to reach the widest possible audience with the song. Roman Rewakowicz - Artistic Director of the Festival

Ensemble Organum, Marcel Pérès (France)
Programme: 4 Roman masses of the 6th - 13th centuries.                                               
Venue:                                                                                                                                     
St. John the Baptist Archcathedral Basilica
8 Świętojańska Street                                                                      
1 August, 8 p.m.

Ensemble Organum, an internationally renowned vocal ensemble, has for 25 years reached all corners of the world performing at the most prestigious festivals. Founded in 1982 by Marcel Pérès in the Abbey of Sénanque, it moved in 1984 to the premises of the Royaumont Foundation and, since 2001, to the Abbey of Moissac. It cultivates the European repertoire that has influenced the evolution of music since the sixth century. A large number of single-voice and polyphonic chants from the beginnings of Christianity to the 18th century have been studied by the ensemble, and the most interesting and representative ones have become the subject of recordings. Some thirty discs recorded and released by Ensemble Organum have given a chance for real historical monuments to appear, which often show the hidden face of musical history.


Vocal Tercet from Salento (Italy)
Anna Villani, Maria Mazzotta, Carla Maniglio
Programme: religious chants of Puglia
Venues:
The Church of the Mother of God of Mary in Jelonki Północna Street
67a Powstańców Śląskich St.
2 August, 8:30 pm
St. Martin Church
9/11 Piwna St.
3 August, 7.00 p.m.
Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Stokłosy
al. Komisja Edukacji Narodowej 101
4 August, 7:00 pm

The Vocal Tercet from Salento (Southern Italy's Puglia region) takes up the traditional repertoire of its region, based on studies of the rural singing techniques of its area, often visiting local singers and singers. Ensemble leader Anna Cinzia Villani is one of the most representative voices in the Salentine repertoire.


Cappella Corale Varsaviana, Roman Rewakowicz - conductor
Programme: Polish sacred music - Wacław of Szamotuły, M. Gomółka, St. Moniuszko, F. Nowowiejski, J. Łuciuk, J. Świder, H. M. Górecki
Venues:
St. Anne's Academic Church
68 Krakowskie Przedmieście Street
2 August, 5 p.m.
St. Anne's Church in Wilanów
1 Kolegiacka Street
3 August, 7 p.m.

Henryk Mikołaj Górecki - Totus Tuus - listen

Sergej Rachmaninoff - Bogorodice Diewo - listen

Cappella Corale Varsaviana was founded in 2007 on the initiative of Roman Rewakowicz - a conductor active in both choral and orchestral fields. The members of the choir are mainly professional musicians - graduates and students of various faculties of Polish music universities. The ensemble has participated in numerous recordings of music for films produced both at home and abroad. Roman Revakovich's particular love and knowledge of the musical traditions of Eastern Christianity has also led the ensemble into the repertoire of Orthodox music, including the magnificent All-Night Vigil (Vsechnnoye bdniye) by Sergei Rachmaninoff. In December 2008, Cappella Corale Varsaviana performed with great success in Moscow and Yaroslavl at the conclusion of the Season of Polish Culture in Russia.


Credo Choir from Kiev, Bohdan Plisz - conductor (Ukraine)
Programme: Ukrainian Orthodox music - M. Dylecki, D. Bortniansky, M. Berezovsky, A. Vedel, K. Stetsenko, M. Leontovych, O. Koshets, Y. Yatsynevych, M. Kuchmet, B. Pratsyuk, B. Sehin, M. Shukh, V. Silvestrov
Venues:
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
53 Kawęczyńska St.
4 August, 7 p.m.
Seminary Church
Krakowskie Przedmieście Street 52/54
5 August, 7:30 pm

Credo Chamber Choir from Kiev was established in April 2002. It is composed of graduates and students of Ukrainian music universities. The choir's conductor is Bohdan Plish, winner of the Lev Revutsky Prize and winner of the Grand Prix at the Third All-Ukrainian Competition for Choir Conductors. The choir's repertoire includes works of sacred and secular music of various eras, styles, countries, as well as folk music. The choir's seven-year concert activity has included as many as one hundred premiere performances. The choir has given concerts in Russia, Poland, Germany and Italy and has been invited to international festivals. Credo Chamber Choir is the winner of the 24th International Festival of Orthodox Music Hajnówka 2005 in Poland.