Awards of the The International Festival “Hajnówka’s Orthodox Church Music Days”

20.05.2010

On 15th May the Jury of The International Festival “Hajnówka’s Orthodox Church Music Days” has announced its verdict:

The Grand Prix has been granted to the Children and Youth Choir of the Transfiguration Cathedral from Vinnytsia.

In the category of parish city churches:
1st place: Choir of the parish of the dormition of St Mary in Bielsk Podlaski (Poland)
2nd place: Youth Choir of the parish of the Christ’s Resurrection in Białystok (Poland)
2nd place: Cathedral Choir of the Holy Trinity church from Hajnówka (Poland)
3rd place: Choir “Volhynia’s Bells” from Lutsk (Ukraine)
3rd place: Choir of the parish of the Nativity of St Mary in Bielsk Podlaski (Poland)
Awards: 1. Mixed Choir “Hadži Ruvim” from Valjevo (Serbia)
2. Diocese Choir “St Sophrony Bishop of Vraca” from Vraca (Bulgaria)

In the category of children and youth choirs:
1st place: not awarded
2nd place: Girls’ Choir of Children Orthodox Music School of dormition of St Mary’s Church in Krasnogorsk (Russia)
2nd place: Schola Cantorum Misericordis Christi from Biała Podlaska (Poland)
3rd place: Choir „Zaranochka” of St Jacob Alfeus in Łosinka (Poland)

In the category of academic churches:
1st place: Chamber Choir of Pedagogic University from Voronezh (Russia)
2nd place: not awarded
3rd place: Academic Choir “Bel Canto” of the University of Computer Science and Economics from Olsztyn (Poland)
3rd place: Choir of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the University in Preshov (Slovakia)

The category of professional choirs:
1st place: Female Choir of the Monastery of St Gegard in Erevan (Armenia)
2nd place: not awarded
3rd place: Male Choir of State Song and Dance Company of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus from Minsk (Belarus)
Award: Choir “Philokalia” from Prague (Czech Republic)

The category of other choirs:
1st place: not awarded
2nd place: not awarded
3rd place: Children and Youth Choir “Melody” from Orsha (Belarus)
Awards: 1. Teachers’ Choir “Colours” from Rivne (Ukraine)
2. Chamber Choir ”Vesperascit” from Warsaw (Poland)

Awards for the conductors:

Ireneusz Ławreszuk – conductor of the Choir of the parish of the dormition of St Mary in Bielsk Podlaski (Poland)
Borys Yarkin – conductor of the Chamber Choir of Pedagogic University from Voronezh (Russia)
Natalya Kremenyuk – conductor of the Children and Youth Choir of the Transfiguration Cathedral from Vinnytsia (Ukraine)

The winners presented themselves again at two gala concerts in Hajnówka and Białystok.

All of the choir singers as well as the conductors told that it was an honour for them to sing in Hajnówka. Many of the singers admitted that the acoustics in the church is great. Some told that the performance during the festival is accompanied by huge nerves. Most of the singers admitted that when they sing, the prayer helps them to sing better. But all of them were under great impression of the festival.

People could also listen to many of the choirs during concerts in other cities of Podlasie region as well as in Białystok and Warsaw.

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