The premiere of the Olivia Choir’s album is just around the corner!
In the meantime, let’s remember the beginnings.
That’s how it went…
My favorite moment in the choir comes right after the most difficult one: when we’re reading
— Remigiusz Wojciechowski, bass
A new song and each voice laboriously glues together note after note. First the sopranos, then the altos, tenors and finally the basses. The energy level is low, a bit boring. And finally, there comes a moment when we start to put the voices together, even if only for a few bars. That’s when the music and the joy of creating together begins.
It all started with the musical sentiment of Remigiusz Wojciechowski from Bayer. Music has always been important to him. Once, sitting in the audience of the Philharmonic, he recalled the emotions that accompanied him when he sang in the choir. He thought he would like to have them in his life again. To do that, you needed people and a conductor. There was no shortage of people in the Bayer office, and a casting call for conductor was announced. It was won by Wiktoria Pagieła , a graduate of the Gdańsk Academy of Music, and so, in 2018, the Bayer employee choir was formed. Less than a year later, it transformed into the choir of the entire Olivia Centre. Of course, we can do more together. He was joined by singing employees, AirHelp, Energa, GFKM, Nordea, Olivia Centre, PwC, Sii, Talkers and Thyssenkrupp.
Debut
The Olivia Business Centre Choir (as it was then called) made its debut on 25 April 2019 during the Easter Concert of the Olivia Camerata series. He presented three pieces:
- „Oh Happy Day” Dona Howarda,
- „Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, klasyczną balladę napisaną przez Harolda Arlena i E.Y. Harburga do filmu „Czarnoksiężnik z Oz” z 1939 roku,
- „Can’t help folling in love” Elvisa Presleya z 1969 roku.
Let us just remind you that this Camerata began with a recital by Krystyna Gedzik and Ulyana Hedzik. We heard the greatest hits of jazz, gospel and folk. The finale was the performance of the Vita Activa orchestra, which has performed nearly 300 concerts in Poland and abroad. The orchestra has been operating since 1995 at the Polish Association for People with Intellectual Disabilities Koło in Gdańsk. The artists performed works by G.F. Händel, J. Offenbach, M. Mussorgsky, A. Pizzolli, I. Rekhin, G. Scherterberger, S. Joplin, J. Kandler, Q. Jones, arranged for percussion orchestra.
All That Jazz
We couldn’t forget that evening for a long time. Olivia Camerata: All That Jazz resounded with dozens of voices on September 14, 2019. The camerat’s repertoire abounded in everything that was rocking and energizing. The concert at Olivia Star was opened by Alexander Stupnikov, an artist and composer from the Schibsted company. He made one of the most outstanding works Frédéric Chopin “Fantaisie impromptu, op. cit. 66” and original works: “Polka in F major ” and “Autumn Waltz”. The second part featured the long-applauded Olivia Business Centre Choir, while the third part was a real jazz feast. We listened to an amazing swing performed by Krystyna Durys and the jazz band accompanying the vocalist.
The choir presented the following novelties:
- „El ultimo Cafe” (tango) muz. Hector Stamponi
- „Prende la Vela” muz. Lucho Bermundez (tenor solo: Hamish Potts, perkusja: Katarzyna Rozkosz)
- „Volare” muz. Domenico Modugno
Sweet dreams
Although the pandemic interrupted live meetings and rehearsals, it did not prevent online musical contacts. Yes, it was difficult. Yes, it was a challenge, but there is nothing difficult for those who want to. Where there is passion, extraordinary things are born. And so, during the pandemic, the choir rehearsed and recorded – completely remotely – ” Sweet Dreams” by Eurythics. Let’s relive it.
And there’s a music video!
We will end this “episode” of mini-stories about our choir by reminding you of the first music video in the history of Olivia and the history of our choir. It was the big launch of spring 2020. “Seasons of Love ” from the Broadway musical “Rent”, written and composed by Jonathan Larson, was performed and presented by the Olivia Business Centre Choir on May 26. It’s no coincidence that we chose this day as the release date. It was a special day, Mother’s Day. And it is to mothers that this premiere is dedicated.
To be continued…
