The National Forum of Music Choir
was founded in 2006 by Andrzej Kosendiak as one of the ensembles of the Wrocław Philharmonic to be transformed into the National Forum of Music in May 2014. Agnieszka Franków-Ż̇elazny has been the Choir’s artistic director ever since its inception. In a short space of time it has established itself as one of Poland’s leading choral ensembles, thanks to its rich and varied repertoire, which includes a cappella and vocal-instrumental works: oratorios, operas and symphonies. It has collaborated with such distinguished conductors as Paul McCreesh, Giovanni Antonini, Jacek Kaspszyk, Krzysztof Penderecki, James MacMillan, Bob Chilcott and Jan Łukaszewski.

In a few years the Choir has performed over 250 times, collaborating, among others, with the Gabrieli Consort, Il Giardino Armonico and NDR Orchestra, giving concerts at the Salle Pleyel (Paris), the Barbican Centre (London), the Royal Albert Hall (London), Gewandhaus (Leipzig). It was a guest of the music festivals: Schleswig-Holstein, Gent Festival van Vlaanderen, Wratislavia Cantans, Warsaw Autumn, Ankara Music Festival. In addition to regular performances with the other NFM ensembles, the group has been touring Poland performing with leading Polish philharmonic orchestras, including Polish Radio Orchestras in Katowice and Warsaw. It is often being broadcasted on the Polish Radio and abroad. In 2009 and 2011 it was the first Polish choir to be invited to the BBC Proms. In 2011 at the Varaždin Baroque Evenings festival in Croatia it received one of the three main awards – the Kantor Award for performance of works by Johann Sebastian Bach. The Choir made its first tour of the United States of America in June 2013 and in October it performed with the world-famous group The Swingle Singers.

An important part of the NFM Choir’s discography is a series of recordings under the direction of Paul McCreesh: Berlioz’s Grande Messe des morts (2011, BBC Music Magazine Technical Excellence Award 2012), Mendelssohn’s Elijah (2012, Diapason d’Or de l’Année 2013) and Britten’s War Requiem (2013, BBC Music Magazine Choral Award 2014). The Choir’s a cappella albums are: Words Painted with Sounds (2012), a CD with Bob Chilcott’s music The Seeds of Stars (2012) and Folk Love (2014).

Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny
She graduated from Wrocław University (diploma in biology 2000) and the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław (diploma in musical education 2004, diploma in voice 2005). In 2006 she completed her postgraduate studies in choral conducting at the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, and in 2014 – the Cultural Leadership Academy at the University of Economics in Kraków.

As a chorister she began with the Mixed Choir of the Głubczyce High School and next sang in Wrocław academic choirs. In 1995–1999 she was a member of the Polish-German Choral Academy ‘In terra pax’, and in 1997–1999 she worked there as a voice coach. In 1999 she founded the ‘Con Amore’ Choir of School Complex No. 1 in Wrocław. At the same time she was conductor and artistic manager of the Wrocław University of Technology Choir. In 2000 she founded the Medical University Chamber Choir (later renamed as Medici Cantantes) with which she has performed successfully at national and international competitions.

Since June 2006 she has been artistic director of the NFM Choir (formerly: the Wrocław Philharmonic Choir), working with prominent conductors, including Jacek Kaspszyk, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Paul McCreesh, Konrad Junghänel, James MacMillan and Krzysztof Penderecki. The Choir has spectacular successes to its credit, among them Diapason d’Or award for a CD with Mendelssohn’s Elijah.

With the NFM Choir she has appeared in such renowned venues as Salle Pleyel in Paris, Barbican Centre in London, Gewandhaus in Leipzig and twice at the Royal Albert Hall in London during the BBC Proms. …