Gaudeamus National Students’ Choir has recently initiated a charity concert – all proceeds will go to the treatment and rehabilitation of the military, wounded in the Joint Forces Operation zone.
Every year choir gives a presentation performance, during which it surprises its fans with a new program – either its solo performance or conducted with Polish or German colleagues. This year since March Gaudeamus has been actively working on Creole Mass, which Volodymyr Savytskyi, the former head of Akolada chamber vocal ensemble, planned to perform with the choir. The concert on June 2 was dedicated to the memory of the author of the idea.
Creole Mass is one of the most famous works by Ariel Ramirez, Argentine composer of the last century, pianist and conductor. Although Mass is traditionally Catholic, all of its five parts are written in the genres of Latin American folk music. In addition, it is one of the first Masses that are performed not in Latin but Castilian, which became the basis of modern Spanish language. The first slow part of the composition flows into musical dynamics, which ends lyrically. Students liked the Mass, its combination of spirituality and Argentine rhythms and melodies.
Before Gaudeamus performed Spirituals, Anna Hrechaniuk and Yurii Danylov played Devil’s Dance by John Williams. After the expressive music of one of the most famous Hollywood composers, Negro spirituals were performed again – the choir performed six Spirituals which were popular in the US in the XIX century. The soloists were Tamila Mamedova, Iryna Stetsko and Mariia Potereiko. The concert ended with the performance of one of the most famous Spanish сontradanza La Paloma.