The ensemble is one of the oldest Polish philharmonic choirs. Its repertoire covers several hundred pieces with the accompaniment of an orchestra and hundreds of a cappella compositions. The latter occupy a particularly important place in the ensemble’s recent activities. The programmes of their numerous a cappella concerts feature many polychoral works and premieres of the latest compositions by Polish artists.
The Silesian Philharmonic Choir was established in 1974 at the initiative of Karol Stryja. For thirty years, the ensemble was led by its creator, the excellent choirmaster Jan Wojtacha. In 2004–2009, it was Waldemar Sutryk who managed the Choir. Since 2009, the positions of the Choir’s Artistic Director and Chief Conductor have been occupied by Jarosław Wolanin.
In the third year since the formation of the ensemble, Jan Wojtacha’s choristers were invited to the prestigious Wratislavia Cantans festival, where they performed Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem with the Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra. The showcase of the Silesian Philharmonic Choir’s sound and vocal artistry has become the compositions of the greatest masters of all eras, from the Renaissance to the music of the 21st century. The choir’s most famous achievements include the first Polish presentations of Edward Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and Alfred Schnittke’s Concerto for Choir, as well as the first liturgical performance of Wojciech Kilar’s Missa pro pace.
The ensemble has given concerts in major music centers in Poland, Slovakia, Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and the Vatican. Renewed invitations to such esteemed festivals as Wratislavia Cantans, Festival de La Chaise-Dieu, Warsaw Autumn, Händelfestspiele in Halle, Arena di Verona, Poznań Spring, Music Festival in Łańcut, Gliwice Organ Music Days, Festival im. Krystyna Jamroz in Busko-Zdrój, the Festival of Polish Contemporary Music in Wroclaw, the Early Music Festival in Cracow, the HMG-Festival – Henryk Mikołaj Górecki International Festival of Contemporary Music in Cracow and the Adam Didur Vocal Music Days in Sanok is a source of pride for the choir’s artists.
In its long history, the Silesian Philharmonic Choir has performed with some of the greatest masters of the baton, including Karol Stryja, Miroslaw Jacek Blaszczyk, Jan Wincenty Hawel, Jan Krenz, Antoni Wit, Gabriel Chmura, Jacek Kaspszyk, Tadeusz Wojciechowski, Marek Pijarowski, Jerzy Salwarowski, Jerzy Swoboda, Krzysztof Penderecki, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Michael Zilm, Massimiliano Caldi, Mykola Diadiura, Peter Tiboris, Paul McCreesh, and Daniel Reuss. The ensemble cooperates with many philharmonic orchestras in Poland and with the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice.
The Silesian Philharmonic Choir has made many recordings, capturing on disc all the vocal-instrumental works of Karol Szymanowski and some of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s choral masterpieces. In 2013, a CD recording of his Wide Water, Op. 39, performed by the choir (DUX 0924) was nominated for a Fryderyk Award. In 2014, the Silesian Philharmonic Choir was awarded the Golden Badge of Honor for its contribution to the Silesian Voivodeship.