The international project Visegrad Choral Bridges III - Folklore Inspiration, funded by the Visegrad Fund, connected four university choirs from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, represented by the Mixed Chamber Choir Ateneo of Palacký University. In addition to the final concert in the Red Church in Olomouc, a CD was also produced, which is now available for free on YouTube.
The university choirs set out to celebrate and preserve the richness of the national folk traditions of the Visegrad region. The CD therefore contains a joint recording of choral arrangements of folk songs in the original languages of all the participating countries, conducted by the choirmasters of each choir. Thanks to this project, singers and listeners can get acquainted with the unique musical roots and traditions of the V4 region through carefully selected and stylishly interpreted pieces.
"Our goal was not only to convey the beauty and depth of folk music, but also to strengthen the cultural awareness and connection between our nations," said Pavel Režný, the main organizer of the project and choirmaster of the Mixed Chamber Choir Ateneo of Palacký University. "The collaborative CD recording is a tangible result of this unique collaboration, which brings joy not only to the singers but also to the general public," he added.
The recording of the CD took place at the last joint meeting of all choirs in the first half of April in Olomouc, followed by editing, mixing, and remastering of the recordings. The recording can now be listened to for free on the Ateneo Choir's YouTube channel, making the results of the project widely and sustainably available to all who are interested. The project builds on successful collaborations from 2010 and 2017 and is proof that music can cross borders and unite nations.