Warsaw Philharmonic Choir

The National Philharmonic in Warsaw has been one of the few music institutions (both in Poland and abroad) which have a choir of their own. Now the choir consists of 90 singers. It started off in 1952 under Zbigniew Soja. Subsequently, the Choir Masters were: Roman Kuklewicz (1955-71), Józef Bok (1971-74) and Antoni Szaliński (1974-78). In 1978, the position was taken over by Henryk Wojnarowski, who has kept it ever since.
The vast repertoire of the choir comprises over 150 oratorio works and pieces for a capella chorus from various epochs since the Middle Ages. The mainstream activity of the choir consists in the participation in symphony and oratorio concerts (with the National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras) and in a cappella concerts. The choir gives many performances each season and frequently takes part in the International Festival of Contemporary Music “Warsaw Autumn.” Many works performed during the concerts were recorded on the following discs: Handel’s Messiah, Israel in Egypt and Judas Maccabaeus, Mozart’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Fidelio and Symphony No. 9, Verdi’s Requiem, Berlioz’s Damnation of Faust, Bruckner’s Te Deum, Elsner’s Passion, Szymanowski’s Harnasie and Symphony No. 3, Maciejewski’s Requiem, all the a cappella works by Penderecki and his Passion According to St. Luke (recorded with the NPRSO Orchestra conducted by the composer, it received a Grammy nomination), Seven Gates of Jerusalem, Credo, as well as Kilar’s Missa pro pace.
Polish music, esp. works by K. Penderecki have a privileged position in the choir’s repertoire. It performs all his oratorio and a cappella works (Polish Requiem, St. Luke Pasion, Te Deum, Utrenya, Psalms of David, Dies irae, Veni Creator, Songs of Cherubim, Seven Gates of Jerusalem, Credo), and among his opera works – Paradise Lost.