The Polish Mixed Choir Collegium Canticorum from the Czech Republic
16 March 2024, 17:00, ,
parafia św. Ap. Filipa i Jakuba w Żorach, ul. Garncarska 16
The Polish Mixed Choir Collegium Canticorum is one of the most well-known artistic ensembles in Cieszyn Silesia. Its singers live in Zaolzie (the Czech part of this region). The choir represents Poles who live in Czechia, their vibrant artistic life as well as avidly preserved culture and tradition, passed from generation to generation. Within a dozen or so years, it became valued outside its native Silesian region too, earning recognition from eminent music experts. Rehearsals take place once a week in Český Těšín, and singers gather from neighbouring towns and villages. The singers are not professional musicians, but choral singing has become their passion.
The choir was founded in 1986 in Český Těšín. In 2009, Anna Kołowska, Doctor of Art at the Faculty of Arts and Educational Science of the Silesian University in Katowice, became its conductor and artistic manager. Its board is chaired by Roman Najder. The choir presents an interesting and varied repertoire, which spans almost all musical periods: from the pieces composed by masters of polyphony, to Classicism, Romanticism, folk song arrangements, to contemporary, dance and experimental music. Collegium Canticorum has given numerous concerts in Poland and Czechia, but it has also performed in Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Great Britain, Greece, Austria and Switzerland, taking part in international singing festivals and competitions. Their creative enthusiasm as well as their passion for diving deep into the arcana of music and conveying its unique charm to listeners are met with sincere applause. They have also received acclaim from critics and competition judges, who have praised the ensemble on several occasions, awarding them laurels and prizes.
Some of the awards won by the Polish Mixed Choir Collegium Canticorum:
- 2017 Silver Diploma – Ohrid Choir Festival in Macedonia;
- 2016 Silver Diploma – 12th International K. Fober Choral Festival Gaude Cantem in Bielsko-Biała;
- 2015 Gold Diploma – 43rd International Festival SVATKY PISNI in Olomouc (Czechia);
- 2015 Silver Diploma – 43rd International Festival SVATKY PISNI in Olomouc (Czechia);
- 2015 1st place – 24th Christmas Carol Evenings in Tychy;
- 2013 Silver Diploma – 12th International Feliks Nowowiejski Choral Music Festival in Barczewo;
- 2012 Bronze Diploma – 22nd International Advent and Christmas Music Festival with the prize from Petr Eben – Prague (Czechia);
- 2011 3rd place – 2nd International Krakow Choir Festival CRACOVIA CANTANS;
- 2011 Silver Diploma in the secular choirs category at the 5th Polish Song Competition in Bydgoszcz;
- 2011 1st Bronisława Wietrzny Award in the mixed choirs category at the 20th Festival of Choral Song Carols and Christmas Songs in Myślenice;
- 2010 2nd place – 1st Czech-Polish Choral Encounters in Wodzisław Śląski;
- 2009 1st place and Gold Diploma – 10th International Advent and Christmas Music Festival Pražské Vánoce in Prague (Czechia);
- 2007 1st place – International Anton Bruckner Choir Festival in Linz (Austria);
- 2005 2nd place – 11th Polish Carol and Christmas Song Competition in Będzin;
- 2005 TRES BIEN grade – International Choral Festival in Montreux (Switzerland);
- 2002 1st place – Polish Choral Competition Legnica Cantat.
Conductor - Anna Kołowska
(née Szawińska, born 1984) – conductor, educator, singer, soloist. Anna Kołowska graduated from the Mieczysław Karłowicz Secondary State Music School in Katowice as a soprano in the solo singing class. In 2008, she obtained the Master of Art degree in musical art educaon at the Instute of Music in the Faculty of Arts and Educaonal Science of the Silesian University in Katowice, specialising in conducng vocal
and instrumental ensembles. She also completed postgraduate choirmaster studies at the Feliks Nowowiejski Musical Academy in Bydgoszcz.
In December 2017, she became Doctor of Musical Arts (arsc specialisaon: conducng), a tle awarded by the Council of the Art Faculty at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.
In 2009, she started her scholarly and didacc work. She currently works as an assistant professor at the Instute of Music in the Faculty of Arts and Educaonal Science of the Silesian University in Katowice. In 20092012, she also worked in the Katowice Department of the Higher School of Pedagogy in Warsaw, founded by the Associaon for Universal Educaon (TWP). Anna Kołowska is an acve singer, soloist, conductor and educator. She was the second conductor of the Silesian University Choir Harmonia in Cieszyn and the conductor of the Mixed Choir of the Modus Vivendi Singing Society in KatowicePiotrowice. She is currently the conductor and arsc manager of the Polish Mixed Choir Collegium Cancorum in Český Těšín and the Modus Vivendi Cameralis Choir in Katowice. For 15 years, she was a singer in the Silesian Chamber Choir Ad Libitum.
In 2018, she was awarded the Golden Badge of His Magnificence ViceChancellor of the Silesian University for her outstanding merit for the Silesian University, as well as the 3rd Prize of His Magnificence ViceChancellor. She also holds the Golden Honorary Badge of the Silesian Associaon of Choirs and Orchestras, as well as the Silver Honorary Badge of the Polish Associaon of Choirs and Orchestras. She is a member of the Via Musica Associaon in Cieszyn. She has been the secretary of the Internaonal Józef Świder Fesval in Cieszyn since 2015 and was the arsc director of the Eucharisc Song Fesval O Salutaris Hosa in Katowice Piotrowice.
With her choirs, she took part in numerous compeons and fesvals in Poland and abroad, e.g.: Vocal Music Fesval Viva il canto in Cieszyn, Internaonal Choral Fesval Gaude Cantem in BielskoBiała, Cano Lodziensis in Łódź, Polish Choral Compeon Legnica Cantat in Legnica, Internaonal Feliks Nowowiejski Choral Music Fesval in Barczewo, Internaonal Choral Song Fesval in Międzyzdroje, Internaonal Religious Music Fesval in Rumia, Festa Musicale in Olomouc (Czechia), Internaonal Fesval of Choral Music For the Gold Ribbon of Solcha in Eišiškės (Lithuania), Montreux Choral Fesval (Switzerland), Grand Prix World Choir Fesval St. Petersburg (Russia), Grand Prix World Choir Fesval Paaya (Thailand), Busan Choral Fesval and Compeon (South Korea), Andrea O. Veneracion Internaonal Choral Fesval Manila (Philippines), Ohrid Choir Fesval (Macedonia). . At the Internaonal Advent and Christmas Music Fesval Pražské Vánoce, Anna Kołowska won the reward for the best conductor. Her conducng skills were also rewarded in 2011, at the 20th Fesval of Choral Song Carols and Christmas Songs in Myślenice.
