Semmelweis University’s Medic Orchestra is giving a concert at the Palace of Arts on the opening evening of the academic year to university staff and students who have been involved in the fight against COVID-19 for the past year and a half. The concert will be opened by Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector, who will present a short video highlighting the moments of the fight against the coronavirus as a way to thank Semmelweis Citizens for their commitment.
Physicians, health care practitioners, students and relevant staff members of supporting areas who played a key role in the fight against the coronavirus will be invited to Semmelweis Universtiy’s thanksgiving concert. The event will be held in the evening of 1 September on the day of the opening ceremony of the new academic year. The organizers are Dr. Éva Feketéné Szabó, Vice-Rector for Strategy and Development and Dr. Péter Hermann, Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs.
With the concert, we would like to thank the staff of the departments who have shown outstanding commitment during the pandemic and Semmelweis students who volunteered and actively participated in disease control”
– said Dr. Péter Hermann. He pointed out that university citizens immediately knew what they had to do and the departments of the Clinical Center, the students, and the supporting areas have also performed beyond expectations, for which the entire university is grateful.
Dr. Éva Szabó Feketéné pointed out that strong collaboration has formed within the university, which is important to commemorate.
“Our strength was this collaboration, since we worked as a team in a disciplined way, we continuously stayed in touch, therefore we were able to respond rapidly and flexibly to all needs. Every area played its part in the tasks. With the concert, we demonstrate that we were together in trouble, therefore we should also celebrate together”, she emphasized.
In addition to university citizens, representatives of organizations cooperating with the university, such as the National Ambulance Service, government offices, and Hospital Authorities, will also be invited to the event. Each participating Semmelweis Citizen may bring a family member to attend the concert. Dr. Éva Szabó Feketéné considers it important that at a family-friendly university, family members may also be part of Semmelweis celebrations.
Both Vice-Rectors emphasized the importance of the fact that at the beginning of the epidemic, the concert of the Medic Orchestra was the last event held at the Palace of Arts before it closed down. Now, the institution will reopen its doors with the university’s opening ceremony of the academic year 2021/2022 and the thanksgiving concert of the Medic Orchestra.
The program starts with the overture of Beethoven’s King Stephen, followed by Antonin Dvořak’s New World Symphony performed by the Medic Orchestra.
“After the last year and a half, we have to re-evaluate our everyday lives, our human relationships, and then we can move towards a new world in light of the lessons learned and by supporting each other”, said Gergely Dubóczky, conductor of the Medic Orchestra.
According to him, using artistic expression, they may contribute to closing and restarting, as well as relieving the tensions of the recent period. The conductor also emphasized that most of the orchestra members worked on the front lines, and participated in the fight against the coronavirus as students.
“Our world has changed, but just as the hopeful end of Dvořak’s piece, I am also confident that better times will come soon”, the conductor said.
The Clinical Center, the Directorate of Nursing Leadership and Health Care Professionals’ Education, the Chancellor’s Cabinet, and the Students’ Union will send an invitation to the event in the upcoming weeks to those Semmelweis Citizens who played a key role in the fight against the coronavirus.
The concert organized in honor of the heroes of COVID patient care will be held on the evening of the Opening Ceremony of 2021/22 and will be opened by Dr. Béla Merkely. The Rector will also express the university’s gratitude to Semmelweis Citizens with a short video prepared by the Directorate of Communication and Event Management highlighting the moments of the fight against the coronavirus.
Pálma Dobozi
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
Translation: Katalin Illés-Romhányi
