The Cracow Philharmonic Chorus was founded in 1945 and has been in existence as a professional group since 1950. It has been directed by the following conductors: Zbigniew Soja, Roman Kuklewicz, Józef Bok, Janusz Przybylski, Stanisžaw Gažoƒski, Adam Pažka, Jan Politowski, Jerzy Swoboda, Stanisžaw Krawczyƒski, succeeded in 1989 by Jaãek Mentel. The chorus has appeared in nearly all European countries and also in Iran, Lebanon, Canada and the United States. In the Vatican it took part in a concert commemorating the tenth anniversary of John Paul II’s pontificate, in Berlin in a concert on the solemn occasion of the unification of Germany. It has given concerts at many renowned festivals, including the Holland Festival, Edinburgh Festival, Festival van Vlaanderen, Sagra Musicale Umbra, Maggi Musicale Fiorentino, Warsaw Autumn and Wratislavia Cantans. Concentrating chiefly on oratorio, the chorus has a wide repertoire from Monteverdi to Penderecki, doing much to promote knowledge of the latter abroad. It has made a number of recordings, winning the Grand Prix du Disque for its participation in the recording of Krzysztof Penderecki’s
