Ennio Morricone and Poznańskie Słowiki Choir
Music which brings you closer to God
The exceptional concert of the Per Artem ad Deum Medal laureates on 29th September in Targi Kielce
The event Poland has never witnessed before – one stage and the works of two composers whose fame exceeds Europe and reaches far across the world. Ennio Morricone – an Italian composer, a genius of film music creation, the winner of the honorary Oscar and the late Polish musician Stefan Stuligrosz – a renowned conductor and composer, the founder of Poznańskie Słowiki (Poznan Nightingales) choir. In recognition of their lifetime achievements, Morricone and Stuligrosz have been awarded with the Per Artem ad Deum Medal; the accolade is to be presented by President of the Pontifical Council for Culture HE Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi.
The contest chapter presents the Medal to the creators who have substantially contributed to European art and culture development in a lasting and significant way and thus promoted bonds with the Church and facilitated dialogue between different cultures of contemporary world. Targi Kielce is the only place in the world where this exceptional distinction has been presented for 8 years. The Per Artem ad Deum Medal accompanies the International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious Art Sacroexpo; Europe’s largest event of this kind which brings together over 250 exhibitors from over a dozen of courtiers.
– This year’s edition of the competition has for the first time expanded to the European scale – says Andrzej Mochoń PhD, Targi Kielce President of Board; the member of the Per Artem Ad Deum Medal chapter – Out of sixteen contest nominees put forward by, inter alia, the Czech Republic Ministry of Culture, the Archbishop of Rijeka, Ivan Devcic PhD, the Latvian Theatre Union, the chapter has selected five laureates to be presented with the medal: Ennio Morricone, Stefan Stuligrosz, Otakáro Maria Schmidt – documentary firm director from Czech Republic, Stanisław Rodziński – a Polish painter and Leszek Sobecki who is also a painter. The laureate fellowship already comprises of Leszek Mądzik, Stanisław Niemczyk, Wojciech Kilar and Krzysztof Zanussi, the “Furdyna” stained-glass workshop, Dobrosław Bagiński and Stanisław Słonina. The Medal chapter upon selecting the two distinguished artists to be presented with this prestigious accolade has provided the justification of their choice:
Ennio Morricone: For the inventive genius to create the intimacy marked with lyricisms and simplicity; for producing sounds that all the world loves.
Stefan Stuligrosz: For being optimistic and consequent on his way to soul liberation
The works composed by Ennio Morricone will be performed by the Poznan Nightingales Choir and the Swietokrzyskie Philharmonic Orchestra during a special concert put on stage on 29th September. The concert venue will be Targi Kielce’s E pavilion; Poland’s most state-of-the-art exhibition hall. The Medal for Stefan Stuligrosz who died just a few days after the contest chapter had announced the laureates’ names, will be presented to the Poznan Nightingales Choir.