GMU Choir Performs at Global Expo 2025 Osaka
Gdynia Maritime University’s Academic Choir has performed as guests at the world’s largest and most important economic and cultural event – Expo 2025, held in Osaka, Japan.
The Choir’s performances in Japan were preceded by three months of preparation, during which the vocal ensemble worked intensively on its new repertoire for the event. A total of five concerts were given by our choir in Japan between 26 September and 1 October for a Japanese and international audience. HM The Rector of Gdynia Maritime University, Professor Adam Weintrit, expressed his pride at the group’s achievement:
I am proud of the involvement of the Gdynia Maritime University Academic Choir in the events of the World Expo 2025 in Osaka. I know that the Choir’s members put in an enormous amount of work in preparation for and during the concerts. I am convinced that performing before such a wide international audience at such a prestigious event as the World Expo was an extremely valuable experience for these young people. An experience they will recall among friends, family, and also within the professional music community.
The World Expo was an excellent opportunity to promote both our maritime university and Polish culture, for which our Choir became a musical ambassador during Expo 2025. We are all the more pleased that the concerts, as well as the repertoire inspired by Polish cinema, were met with such a positive reception and genuine interest from the international community. Our Choir — which has performed on numerous occasions alongside Andrea and Matteo Bocelli — has gained yet another valuable experience on the international stage.
The University represented by the GMU Academic Choir is based in Gdynia — a city that is particularly tied to the sea through its economy and to film through its culture. During the concerts, the GMU Choir performed the greatest hits of Polish cinema, thereby paying tribute to the 50th Anniversary of Polish Feature Film, taking place in Gdynia at the same time.
The Choir, led by conductor Karol Hilla, performed specially prepared arrangements of music from Polish cinema composed between the years 1933 and 2023. Audiences in Osaka were treated to renditions of You Won’t Forget Me [„Już nie zapomnisz mnie”], the theme song from the series Civil War [„Wojna domowa”], I Made a Date with Her at Nine [„Umówiłem się z nią na dziewiątą”], River of Dreams [„Rzeka marzeń”], and Two Little Hearts [„Dwa serduszka”]. The new arrangements of well-known songs from Polish film are the work of talented composers Anna Rocławska-Musiałczyk and Mikołaj Gąsiewski.
It was a very intense time — in just a few days, we gave five concerts, during which we performed 13 pieces. The most popular among the Expo 2025 audience was ‘Jeszcze raz’ [One More Time] from the film Vabank, arranged by Mikołaj Gąsiewski. Our tour began with a concert on Friday, September 26, when we performed on the stage at Festival Station. The highlight of our participation in the World Expo 2025 was the performance of the national anthems of Poland and Japan on 1 October, during Poland Day. It was both an honour and a great joy for our choir to appear at the event alongside such a distinguished figure as Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, who recently participated in a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) – commented the Choir’s conductor, Dr Karol Hilla.
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, began on 13 April and will last until 13 October 2025. The exposition’s organisers estimate that this year’s event will bring together a total of 28 million participants.
The involvement of the GMU Academic Choir in the event in Japan is undoubtedly a source of pride, not only for Gdynia Maritime University but also for its members. Already during rehearsals, they spoke of the great honour it was for them to promote Poland in a country so culturally distinct as Japan.
The Japanese are exceptionally nice, polite people. They’re really friendly! They were happy to interact with us – they waved at us, asked for autographs, and posed with us for photos. They remarked that, despite the language barrier, we had touched their hearts – agreed in saying choir singers Daria Purzycka and Emilia Kamińska.
The trip of the GMU Academic Choir to EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai was co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund. Financial support has also been provided by:
The Choir’s official partner for the event is the Polish-Japanese Society for Cultural Exchange.
