Poznań Academics in Mexico ...
13th - 22nd May 2004

While the Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski was hosting in Poland, for the first time in 41 years, the President of the United States of Mexico, Vicente Fox, in Guadalajara there was the biggest presentation of Polish culture in the history of Polish relations with the whole Latin America.

The May Festival of Culture coincided with Poland's presence at the summit of presidents and government leaders of European Union, Latin America and Caribbean countries, which was held particularly in Guadalajara. Among the invited guests (a. o. Krzysztof Jakowicz, Jarosław Smietana with his band, Krzesimir Dębski, Stanisław Drzewiecki, Waldemar Malicki) there was also the AMU Chamber Choir under the direction of Krzysztof Szydzisz, as a representative of Polish choirs. The organizers of the choir's visit to Mexico were the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Mexico, Jalisco state government and La Salle University of Mexico City.

The university choir gave concerts in the world's biggest agglomeration - Mexico City (a. o. in the Institute of Fine Arts and Basilica of the Holy Mother of Guadalupe) and within the framework of the May Festival of Culture in Guadalajara, Lagos de Moreno and Zapopan.

The choir's concerts were mainly a presentation of Polish 19th and 20th century music by such composers as: A. Koszewski, J. Swider, H. M. Górecki, W. Kilar, T. Szeligowski, J. Maklakiewicz, I. J. Paderewski, R. Twardowski. The halls and churches, in which the choir performed, were filled to capacity and concerts ended with a standing ovation. Two hours of spiritual feast passed very fast and a loud applause was a proof to the fact, that both Polish repertoire and perfect performance of each piece lived up to tastes of both Polish and native Mexican audience.

Enthusiastically received performances proved again, how universal the language of music is; it does not need to be translated and has no boundaries. The trip to Mexico will be remembered as one of the most extraordinary and unforgettable overseas tours in the whole 12-year-old history of the choir.

(by Natalia Chromińska)