On 11 June 2026, in the Minor Basilica of St. Andrew the Apostle in Olkusz, at the invitation of Roman Piaśnik, Mayor of the Municipality and City of Olkusz, the Yale Alumni Chorus will perform one of the most active American choral ensembles with ambassadorial status, lead by Jeffrey Douma.
The ensemble, renowned for international tours across Europe, Asia, and South America, arrives in Poland as part of its European concert tour, continuing its mission of “harmony through music.”
In Olkusz, the choir will be joined by one of the most recognisable Polish orchestras of the younger generation – the Beethoven Academy Orchestra.
The programme encompasses a wide repertoire spectrum: from traditional American choral songs, through Dvořák’s Romantic Serenade for Strings, to Mendelssohn’s monumental Psalm 42. Works by contemporary composers will also be featured.
A particular highlight of the event is the encounter of distinct performance traditions within a single sonic narrative from the American choral precision of Yale, as represented under the artistic direction of Maestro Jeffrey Douma and pianist Noah Horn, to the European oratorio tradition.
Among the soloists will appear Canadian – Czech soprano Elizabeth Legierski, an artist of international renown on opera stages across Europe and Asia.
The concert constitutes a rare, European-scale dialogue between the academic choral tradition of the United States and the living, multilayered musical practice of Central Europe within a space where music becomes a true language of cultural exchange, particularly resonant in today’s dynamic times.
