About Festival

Festival is open to all amateur choirs from the world, which will present their repertoire of advent, christmas and sacred choir music in the most prestigious churches in Krakow – Peter and Paul Church, St. Catherine church and other.

The international Jury panel will award Golden Angels and diplomas to the choirs in 5 categories. We also invite non-competetive choirs to take part.
Choirs will also take part in additional concerts in Krakow. We hope that our festival will be great occasion to listen many magnificent choral performances and exchange of experiences with other choirs.

RESULTS 2024

 

Please read the rules in the next section.

Our Partners

RULES 5-7.12.2025

Please read the rules 2025:

Download application form 2025:

application.PDF
application.DOC

All  application for 2025 edition should be sent till 30.06.2025

Please send applications to:

MELODY
Ogrodowa 27A
05-509 Piaseczno, POLAND

You can also register by email:
krakow@christmasfestival.pl

Jury

Auditions will be evaluated by an international jury composed of:

Eriks EsenvaldsRiga / Latvia

Ēriks Ešenvalds studied at the Latvian Baptist Theological Seminary before obtaining his master’s degree in composition in 2004 from the Latvian Academy of Music under the tutelage of Selga Mence. At present, Ēriks heads the Department of Composition at the Latvian Academy of Music, where he has been teaching since 2004.

Ēriks Ešenvalds has won multiple awards for his work. His music has been performed in major venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Symphony Hall in Boston, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Royal Albert, Sydney Opera Hall, Philharmonie Berlin, Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. His music was published and recorded by sevaral top publishing houses.

Full bio you may find here

Denis MonteUdine / Italy

He attended masterclasses and choral conducting workshops with esteemed internationally renowned conductors (Lorenzo Donati, Adriano Martinolli D’Arcy, Alessandro Cadario, Fred Sjoberg, Luc Guilloré, …)

He participated as a conductor  in the  “Festival di Primavera” for children’s choirs organized by Feniarco in 2010, 2011, 2017 and 2018. He collaborated with the italian singer Elisa for the choral arrangements of the CD “Ivy” and several musical productions (Amici, Ivy Tour, Arena di Verona, Luce in Cattedrale and many others).

He participated with Piccolo Coro Artemìa at the 74th edition of the Sanremo Festival where they performed with the italian singer Annalisa. In 2009 and 2015 he was awarded as best director at the National Choral Competition in Malcesine and Vittorio Veneto.

He conducts the Children’s Choir, the Young Voices Choir and the Piccolo Coro Artemìa in Torviscosa (UD) with which he has won several national and international  competitions

Among others first prize in the equal voices category and Golden Angel  at the Krakow Advent and Christmas Choir Festival

Josef SurovíkOstrava / Czech Republic

Josef Surovík (1975) is the founder and conductor of the Cantica laetitia mixed choir. He has also conducted other ensembles (Cantica Zlín, Sonet Vsetín, Moraviachor). He gained his professional education at Church Conservatory Kroměříž – subjects Church music and singing. From 1998 to 2004 he worked as a choir conductor at Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra, Zlín. He’s a lecturer of conducting courses and a member of juries in many choir singing competitions. In 2009 Josef Surovík was awarded the National Prize for choirmaster junior by Czech Choral Union. In 2012 he gained a Special Prize for Exemplary Work with the Youth Choir at FSU Jihlava. One of his latest projects is the Children’s Opera Zlín (founded in 2011). Josef Surovík is a member of expert committees Nipos-Artama for children and secondary school choirs. In September 2014 Josef Surovík was awarded by the Mayor of Zlín for his excellent achievements as choral conductor. With his Moraviachor won Golden Diploma at the Krakow Advent and Christmas Choir Festival 2023

Malgorzata Langer-KrólKrakow / Poland

Małgorzata Langer-Król – graduated Krakow Academy of Music in the choral conducting class of prof. Adam Korzeniowski. In the years 2003-2009, as a conductor and choirmaster, she worked with the String Chamber Orchestra and the Mixed Choir “Educatus” of the Pedagogical University
in Krakow . Since 2008, he has been leading the “Dominanta” Choir of the University of Economics
in Krakow. With this ensemble she won many top awards at competitions in Poland and abroad. She also cooperated as a conductor with the choir and orchestra of the “Passionart” Association, the Górecki Chamber Choir.
She received four individual awards for the best conductor at choral competitions and several awards for group recordings, including the prestigious l’Orfee D’or and the “Fryderyk” award. As a singer, she performs solo and choral parts, constantly giving concerts with: Octava ensemble since 2004, Collegium Zieleński since 2009, Górecki Chamber Choir since 2013. She cooperated with, among others: with the Cappella Cracoviensis choir in 2007-2015, the Krakow Philharmonic choir, the Krakow Opera choir, the Wrocław Opera choir, and the Polish Radio Choir. He promotes choral music around the world by giving concerts, among others: in the USA, Japan, Australia, Russia, Turkey and most European countries.
She has recorded many CDs as a conductor and as a singer, including: “Christmas Carols and Pastorals”,  “Christmas Carols and Pastorals” with the Educatus Choir, “Opera Omnia” by Mikołaj Zieleński (6 CDs) , “Opera omnia” by Bartłomiej Pękiel (3 CDs), “Opera omnia” by Franciszek Lilius, “Live style”, “From church songs by H.M. Górecki”.

Marcin CmielWarsaw / Poland

He graduated from Warsaw Academy of Music in Prof. Ryszard Zimak’s class. In years 1997-2008 deputy conductor of Choral Society LIRA. Since February 2009 he has become the artistic director of Choral Society Lira in Warsaw. For years he cooperated with Warsaw University Choir and Stefan Wyszynski University Choir and others. He established and performed with choir Cantemus over 100 concerts. Jury Member of choir festivals in Warsaw,  St Petersburg and Krakow. Conductor of Male Choir LIRA. With this choir he won several prizes e.g. at Orthodox Choir Festival Hajnowka, Gdansk Choir Festival, Wroclaw Choir Festival.

Prizes

In each category there are the following prizes:

Statuette of “Golden Angel” – for the choir with Golden Diploma with highest no. of points in each category.

90,00-100,00 points Golden Diploma

75,00-89,99 points Silver Diploma

60,00-74,99 points Bronze Diploma

Any choir with lower score – diploma of participation.

The Jury may award ex aequo prizes in all categories. The Jury may award also additional prizes and also more money prizes if festival has additional funds. Statuettes are hand made in Poland and are also beautiful work of art.

CATEGORIES:

  • A. Mixed Choirs Adults – singers above 18 years (minimum 20 singers)
  • B. Equal Voices Choirs Adults – Male & Female Choirs
    – singers above 18 years (minimum 12 singers)
  • C. Youth Choirs – singers 13-19 years (minimum 20 singers)
  • D. Children Choirs – singers under 15 years (minimum 20 singers)
  • E. Chamber Choirs – no age limits (12-24 singers)
  • F. Non-competitive – choir takes part in 1-2 additional concerts and gala concert

History

2023

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2022

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2019

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2018

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2017

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2016

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2015

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2014

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2013

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2012

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2011

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2010

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Contact

The best way to contact us is by e-mail:

krakow@christmasfestival.pl

You can also call  +48603361616

Two weeks before arrival you will also receive a phone number to the volunteer who will take care of your choir during your stay in Poland.

Please send all correspondence by e-mail krakow@christmasfestival.pl
or by registered air mail to:

MELODY
ul. Ogrodowa 27A
05-509 Piaseczno (Józefosław), POLAND

 

All payments send to: (ACCOUNT IN EURO)

PL88 1090 1694 0000 0001 1554 3717 (SWIFT): WBKPPLPP
Bank: Santander Bank Polska S.A. al. Jana Pawła II 17, 00-854 Warszawa. POLAND
Holder of Account: MELODY, Ogrodowa 27A,05-509 Piaseczno, POLAND
please write in title “name of your choir”. All amounts we shall get net (you pay all transfer fees).

You can pay the registration fee by credit card here
.