The XV Charity Concert organised by the Polish Association of the Order of Malta and the Poznań Philharmonic took place on 18 October in the Auditorium of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, with the participation of H.E. Ambassador and Mrs Lorijn. The guests were welcomed by Mr. Jerzy Baehr, former President of the Polish Association of the Order of Malta.
Proceeds from this year’s Concert were donated to projects for the elderly, including those affected by the recent floods in Southern Poland.
The concert was held under the patronage of H.E. Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, Metropolitan of Poznań, H.E. Niels Carl A. Lorijn, Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Poland, Mrs. Agata Sobczyk, Voivode of Wielkopolska, Mr. Marek Woźniak, Marshal of the Wielkopolska Province, Mr. Jan Grabkowski, District Governor of Poznań, Mr. Jacek Jaśkowiak, Mayor of Poznań, Her Magnificence Rector of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Prof. Dr. Hab. Bogumiła Kaniewska, His Magnificence Rector of the Karol Marcinkowski Medical University in Poznań, Prof. Dr. Hab. Zbigniew Krasiński.
As in prior years, before the start of the Concert, the “Maltese Phoenix” award was awarded to an outstanding individual, who through their life, attitude and/or activity, bears witness to the Order’s motto “Tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum” in a special way. This year’s Laureate was Fr. Jan Jaworski who, as a surgeon/orthopaedist and a missionary priest, has been serving the poor and the sick in distant Papua New Guinea for almost 40 years. The Laureate was introduced by prof. dr hab. med. Julian Dutka, head of the Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery Department at the Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital in Kraków, and the Phoenix statuette was presented to Fr. Jaworski by Mr. Stanisław Górski and Mr. Paweł Koczewski.
The Concert, performed by the Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra, was led by conductor Jakub Chrenowicz, and the star of the evening was the outstanding pianist, winner of the 8th Chopin Competition in 1970, Piotr Paleczny. The first part featured Fryderyk Chopin’s Piano Concerto in E minor, Op. 11. After the break, the performers were joined by Izabela Matuła, soprano, who, together with the Orchestra and pianist, performed Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 for soprano and orchestra.
