The traditional gala concert of the Béla Bartók International Choir Competition, titled “Vivat, crescat, floreat!”, will take place on July 3 from 7:00 PM at the Kölcsey Center in Debrecen, featuring several world premieres.
The evening, titled “Vivat, crescat, floreat!”, builds on the finest traditions of previous years: the program includes works by domestic and international composers closely associated with the competition, as well as exciting world premieres composed specifically for this occasion.
In the first half of the concert, two outstanding ensembles from Debrecen’s choral scene will take the stage. The evening will be opened by the Lautitia Children’s Choir under the direction of József Nemes, who, alongside contemporary Hungarian world premieres (Katalin Szalai, Péter Zombola), will also venture into international waters with pieces by Josu Elberdin, Julio Dominguez, and Michael Barrett.
They will be followed by the Kodály Choir of Debrecen, presenting a diverse program led by Zoltán Kocsis-Holper. Their performance will also feature brand-new compositions from the pens of Márton Levente Horváth and Máté Balogh, as well as melodies by Péter Tóth, György Orbán, and John Rutter.
After the intermission, a truly special production will crown the evening: under the baton of Zoltán Kocsis-Holper, the audience will hear the world premiere of Miklós Csemiczky’s Credo, performed jointly by the Kodály Choir and the Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra. They will be joined by such excellent soloists as Panka Nagy (soprano), Judit Varga-Szathmáry (alto), János Szerekován (tenor), and Lőrinc Kósa (bass).