Jutrzenka Choir resumed its public singing post-pandemic with a concert at the Polish and Slavic Center. The signers were joined on stage by guest artists: Dorota Huculak, Katarzyna Drucker, Andrzej Michon, and Mark Filatov.
The Jutrzenka Choir has been present on the Polish American stages for 88 years. The group is part of the Polish Singers Alliance of America. “Our mission is to maintain and promote Polish culture through singing and encouraging the young Polish American generation to join us in singing Polish songs,” said Leokadia Juszczak at the onset of the concert. She also explained that the choir can be recognized by the color blue and its anthem “O jutrzenko”.
The choir realizes its mission by appearances at religious and patriotic events. It has sung at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during the Pulaski Parade Mass, at the Military Academy in West Point, NY, at the Polish Consulate in New York, as well as at numerous Christmas concerts at Polish American churches.
Jutrzenka is also doing well attracting young singers. During the Saturday concert, the choir featured such representatives of the young Polish American generation as Claudia Nytko and Nicholas Kaponyas who conducted and accompanied the choir at the piano.
The Jutrzenka choir presented classical pieces from its repertoire: “A little bird flew by” by Tadeusz Sygietyński, “The Spinner” by Stanislaw Moniuszko, and “Believe Poland” by Monika Brewczak.
The choir invited a couple of guest artists to their concert. Renowned in the Polish American community, Dorota Huculak, a former member of Jutrzenka, played the guitar and sang “Tango Milonga” and “You are asking me” by Tadeusz Rosiewicz. A talented rising star, six-year-old Andrew Michon, accompanied by Halina Kalitka, sang classics such as “Only in Lvov” and “Oj Diridi”.
Katarzyna Drucker, artistic coordinator from Krakus Senior Center, performed classical pieces by Polish composers: Fryderyk Chopin, Mieczysław Karłowicz, and Stanisław Moniuszko. The other opera performance the audience had a chance to hear was by yet another representative of the young generation of signers: Mark Filatov who presented pieces by Amadeus Mozart and Georges Bizet.
During the concert the audience could participate in the lottery and win a number of attractive prize