The Warsaw Philharmonic Choir began its professional artistic activity in 1953 under the direction of Zbigniew Soja. Since 1978, it has been directed by Professor Henryk Wojnarowski.
The choir’s main field of activity is symphonic and oratorio concerts on its home stage with the Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and a capella performances. Each season, the choir presents a dozen programmes here. It is also a regular guest at international festivals, including the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival, Warsaw Autumn, Wratislavia Cantans and Probaltica.
The Warsaw Philharmonic Choir also performs extensively abroad, including Great Britain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Spain, Iceland, Israel, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, Lithuania, Latvia, France, and Italy. It has been invited for collaboration with such orchestras as Munich Philharmonic, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, RIAS Symphony Orchestra Berlin, Bamberger Symphoniker, Symphony Orchestras of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Brussels Opera Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana in Palermo and La Scala Orchestra.
The choir has been conducted by excellent Polish and international masters of the baton, such as Gary Bertini, Sergiu Comissiona, Henryk Czyż, Jacek Kaspszyk, Kazimierz Kord, Jan Krenz, Lorin Maazel, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Zubin Mehta, Grzegorz Nowak, Seiji Ozawa, Krzysztof Penderecki, Helmuth Rilling, Witold Rowicki, Jerzy Semkow, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, Leopold Stokowski, Igor Stravinsky, Stanisław Wisłocki, Antoni Wit, and Bohdan Wodiczko.
The choir’s wide repertoire includes over 400 oratorio and choral a cappella works. A particular place in the repertoire is occupied by Polish music, especially pieces by great Polish contemporary composers, such as Krzysztof Penderecki, Wojciech Kilar and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki.
Currently, the choir consists of 90 singers.