CHORAL FESTIVAL 2024 – Choirs from Four Universities Sang with Their Hearts
Author: Kateřina Andršová, Matyáš Strnad
The CHORAL FESTIVAL 2024 was ceremoniously opened on February 26 at the Municipal Music Hall in Hradec Králové with a joint performance by the Mixed Choir of the University of Hradec Králové and the University Choir Concert Chorale from the University of Findlay, Ohio, USA, who were also the main initiators and organizers of the festival. Subsequently, the festival traveled to Olomouc and Bratislava.
The festival continued with its second concert on February 27 at the Aula of the Faculty of Arts, Palacký University. The evening culminated with the piece "Missa Festiva" performed by three university choirs: the Mixed Choir of the University of Hradec Králové, Concert Chorale from the University of Findlay, and the Mixed Choir Ateneo from Palacký University in Olomouc. The mass was conducted by American conductor and choirmaster SeaHwa Jung, with musical accompaniment by the outstanding pianist Su Jung-Shin.
The third and final concert of the festival took place on Wednesday, February 28, at the Great Evangelical Church in Bratislava, concluding the international event amid thunderous applause and standing ovations. The Mixed Choir of the University of Hradec Králové under the direction of Dr. Jiří Skopal and the Concert Chorale from the University of Findlay joined forces with the Choir of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. The grand finale was enhanced by the opportunity to utilize the church's layout and place singers in the church galleries, achieving outstanding sound effects. Here, the "Missa Festiva" was performed at the end of the concert by all three university choirs, this time under the direction of Slovak choirmaster Ladislav Kaprinay.
The rector of the Academy of Performing Arts, Prof. PhDr. Martin Šmatlák, met with all the choirmasters after the concert and congratulated them on their success.
This series of performances not only showcased the exceptional talent and enthusiasm of the participating choirs but also created an imaginary bridge connecting cultures through the power of choral music. The CHORAL FESTIVAL is proof of the beauty of collaborative artistic expression, leaving an unforgettable impression in the hearts of both performers and listeners.
The festival continued with its second concert on February 27 at the Aula of the Faculty of Arts, Palacký University. The evening culminated with the piece "Missa Festiva" performed by three university choirs: the Mixed Choir of the University of Hradec Králové, Concert Chorale from the University of Findlay, and the Mixed Choir Ateneo from Palacký University in Olomouc. The mass was conducted by American conductor and choirmaster SeaHwa Jung, with musical accompaniment by the outstanding pianist Su Jung-Shin.
The rector of the Academy of Performing Arts, Prof. PhDr. Martin Šmatlák, met with all the choirmasters after the concert and congratulated them on their success.
