June 30, 2023, 19:15
Assumption BVM Cathedral Basilica in Białystok, 2 Kościelna Street
tickets: 15 PLN, available at the BCC and Ludwik Zamenhof Center box offices, on bilety.bok.bialystok.pl and and the venue half an hour before the start (cash only)

 

Academic Choir of the University of Białystok

It has existed since 1976 and consists of students and graduates of the university. Since 1977, Prof. Edward Kulikowski has been its conductor and artistic director. The choir initially specialized in performing a capella music, it later expanded its repertoire with oratorios. It has participated in many national and international competitions and festivals, winning awards and honorable mentions. The university vocalists regularly take part in concert tours around Europe (e.g. France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Montenegro, Czechia, Greece, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy and Vatican).

The choir considers promoting Polish music very important – it performs pieces both of the past composers (Mikołaj Gomółka, Wacław of Szamotuły, Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, Bartłomiej Pękiel, Mikołaj Zieleński) and the contemporary ones (Tadeusz Szeligowski, Romuald Twardowski, Jan Krenz, Józef Świder, Juliusz Łuciuk, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki). Its repertoire includes full-length programs (concerts of carols, patriotic music, musica sacra and negro spirituals) that are regularly performer at Białystok churches.

The choir has been cooperating with the Podlachian Opera and Philharmonic for years, participating in the performance of many oratorios, including the ones by Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Mahler, Bruckner, Bizet, Dvořák, Mozart and Orff. They also performed Mozart’s “Requiem”, pieces by Verdi, Fauré and Brahms.

It has collaborated with symphony orchestras from Poland and abroad, popular artists (including Jadwiga Rappé, Olga Pasiecznik, Bogna Sokorska, Barbara Zagórzanka, Jerzy Knettig, Marcin Szczyciński, Artur Stefanowicz, Cezary Szyfman, Adam Zdunikowski) and conductors such as Charles Olivieri Munroe, Madelaine Griffaton, Marc Dubois, Paul Leddington Wright and Sir David Wilcocks. It has made multiple radio and television recordings, released several albums.

In 2012, the choir won the 65th Włodzimierz Pietrzak Award in the artistic award category for promoting Polish sacred music and Polish patriotic songs in Poland and abroad.

 

Józef Kotowicz

Białostocki organista i pedagog. Adiunkt na Uniwersytecie Muzycznym F. Chopina w Warszawie Wydziale Instrumentalno-Pedagogicznym w Białymstoku, wykładowca w Zespole Szkół Muzycznych w Białymstoku w zakresie gry na organach i improwizacji organowej. Laureat Międzynarodowego Konkursu Organowego w Kamieniu Pomorskim (1994 r.). Członek Archidiecezjalnej Komisji Muzyki Kościelnej w Białymstoku. Kierownik artystyczny odbywających się od 1996 roku w białostockiej bazylice Katedralnych Koncertów Organowych. Ma w dorobku pięć płyt.

Uczestniczy w licznych krajowych i zagranicznych festiwalach organowych. Regularnie koncertuje w krajach skandynawskich, wielokrotnie występował w Słowacji, Niemczech, Holandii, Estonii, Irlandii, Włoszech, Litwie, Białorusi i Rosji. Pięciokrotnie odbył tournée koncertowe w USA.