On January 19, 2025, the Polish-Slavic Center hosted a festive Christmas Carols Concert, which has been a permanent fixture in the calendar of cyclical events organized by the Center for three years now. The idea behind this unique event is to integrate the Polish community, promote singing and music-making, and popularize both Polish and international Christmas carols. The concert creates a unique opportunity for an intergenerational meeting, in which children and older generations together create a harmonious and moving musical whole, emphasizing the beauty of the Christmas tradition.
The concert was opened by Bożena Konkiel, accompanied by representatives of the Board of Directors Robert Chibowski, Monika Bolkun, and Edyta Greer.
During the concert, children’s choirs operating in Greenpoint performed, bringing a unique atmosphere of joy and tradition to the evening. The ceremony was opened by the Copernicus Choir, led by Bożena Konkiel. He performed two Christmas carols, Silent Night (sung in four languages) and Sleep Child, with soloists Amelia Żabińska, Gabriella Robert, Martyna Modzelewska and Angelina Hartley. The choir consists mainly (but not only) of students and graduates of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Academy and students of KOBO Music Studio, who have been participating in Polish events with commitment and passion for years.
Next, the vocal and dance group Krakowianki i Górale performed on stage, which celebrated its impressive 85th anniversary last year. The group is led with great care and commitment by four talented ladies: Maria Bielska, Halina Kalitka, Joanna Bis-Zuk and Elżbieta Hentar. Every Tuesday, they prepare the children for the next performances, bringing heart and passion to them.
During the concert, the group performed two beautiful pastorals: Oj siano, siano and Oj Maluśki Maluśki. The young artists were rewarded with a warm ovation, and their enthusiasm made it difficult for them to leave the stage. At this moment, the irreplaceable pianist Halina Kalitka came to the rescue, spontaneously playing a Christmas carol to exit. Encouraged by the audience, she played another carol outside the program, which the entire hall sang with gusto, creating an incredibly warm and communal atmosphere.
The vocal and instrumental ensemble Dzieci Kostki, founded a few years ago by guitar teacher Małgorzata Dziekońska, delighted the audience with both the number of performers and the exceptionally high artistic level. Although supposedly about ten members of the ensemble were missing, their performance was full of energy and professionalism. Under the supervision of their teacher, the young artists performed two beautiful Christmas carols: Znak Pokoju and Przychodzi do Stajenki Panu Kolędować, singing and playing guitars. The visible involvement of the parents, who helped with great care in the organization – providing chairs, stands and instruments, made a particular impression. Thanks to their support, everything went extremely smoothly. The audience’s enthusiasm was enormous, and the spontaneous shouts for an encore emphasized how much the performance of the Children of Kostka touched the hearts of the gathered.
The next point of the concert were the performances of choirs well-known to the Polish audience, which have often appeared on the stage of the Polish-Slavic Center: the Krakus Choir, the Angelus Choir and the Jutrzenka Choir. The Krakus Choir, for several years led by soprano Katarzyna Drucker, presented two beautiful carols – When the Beautiful Virgin and Today in Betlejem, accompanied by Ola Watras. A special moment was the solo performance of Mrs. Katarzyna, accompanied on guitar by Kenny Breslau. Together they performed the premiere of the carol Son of Light, arousing the audience’s delight. The Angelus Choir, under the direction of Nicholas Kaponyas, delighted the audience with their performance of the carols Triumphs of the Heavenly King and Among the Night’s Silence. The listeners were particularly fond of the carol Tryumfy, in which the male voices in harmony with the female parts created a unique atmosphere and a beautiful musical story.
The Jutrzenka Choir, conducted by Marek Filatov and accompanied by Nicholas Kaponyas, presented lesser-known but incredibly charming pastorals: Different Music Choirs and Nie
masz Ci, nie masz. The adult choristers deserve enormous recognition for their commitment and dedication. Thanks to their work and talent, Polish celebrations become exceptional and enriched with the beauty of Polish musical tradition.
The young generation of artists during the concert was represented by three talented soloists, who delighted the audience with their artistry and passion. Monika Chibowski, with her moving performance of the well-known song Mario, czy Ty wiesz, introduced the listeners to an atmosphere of deep reflection. Angelina Podkalicka, presenting the hit Last Christmas, brought a joyful, festive mood to the stage. Both soloists represented KOBO Music Studio, which has been supporting the development of young talents for years. Piotr Kowalczyk, who came especially for the concert from New Jersey, charmed the audience with his stage freedom and beautiful voice, performing the songs Ta Święta Noc and It’s a Wonderful Time of the Year.
His performance was proof of his extraordinary artistic maturity. All three young artists won the hearts of the audience, proving that they are already well on their way to great success. Their performances are a harbinger of a bright future, and their names will certainly appear on music stages more than once. The youngest soloist of the evening was eight-year-old Franek Brzozowski, who delighted the audience by accompanying himself on the piano. This was Franek’s second performance during the Christmas carol concert, and his talent and passion allow us to look forward to the future performances of this promising young artist with hope.
The concert ended with a performance by two sopranos Patrycja Posłuszna and Juney Li (due to illness, the third announced soprano did not perform), who performed two Christmas carols Lulajże Jezuniu and First Noel in beautiful harmony. The concert ended in such a beautiful atmosphere.
The hosts of the concert, Zuzia Smolaga, Julia Greer and Gabriella Ort, did a wonderful job. It’s great that we have such young people who, despite their lack of time, get involved in Polish events. Thanks are also due to others who got involved in organizing this concert: Melania Smolaga, Edyta Greer, Halina Podkalicki and Marzena Żabińska.
Text: B.K.