The Jagiellonian University boasts very successful musical ensembles, which include the Słowianki Song and Dance Ensemble, specialising in Slavonic folk dance and music, the JU Academic Choir Camerata Jagellonica, and the JU Orchestra
The Jagiellonian University has three academic choirs. The Academic Choir of the Jagiellonian University Camerata Jagellonica was established in 2006. It consists of the Kraków Academic Choir of the Jagiellonian University (male voice choir, founded in 1878, the oldest academic choir in Poland) and the Academic Female Voice Choir of the Jagiellonian University (founded in 2006). The choir performs during the most important events at the Jagiellonian University. In addition to academic activities, the ensemble participates in numerous festivals and competitions in Poland and abroad.
The most important achievements include: the First Place and Golden Diploma at the Polish Choir Competition “Legnica Cantat 55” (2025) the Golden Diploma at the “Vivat Academia” Polish Festival of Student Choirs in Warsaw (2017), Silver Diplomas in sacral music and pop music category won at the 7th International Choir Festival and Competition “Cançó Mediterranià” and the International Pau Casals Choir Competition (Lloret de Mar and Barcelona, 2017), second place and the Golden String Award at the Polish Choir Competition in Niepołomice (2016), as well as participation in the following festivals: the China Shanghai International Arts Festival (2009), “Cracovia Sacra” (2010), “Cori d’ Europa” in Udine (2012, 2015, 2024), International Festival “Meeting of Student Choirs” in Blagoevgrad and Sofia (2015), and “Fränkischer Sommer” in Erlangen (2019).
In 2014 the choir took part in the premiere of the historical music performance by Jan A. P. Kaczmarek Universa – Open Opera, written on the occasion of the 650th anniversary of the Jagiellonian University foundation. In 2016 the Camerata Jagellonica choir participated in the multimedia show FLOW, presenting the history of Wrocław in the 20th century, one of the main events of the European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016. In 2018 they performed Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem in Kongresshaus Stadthalle Heidelberg together with the orchestra and choir of Collegium Musicum at the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg as well as soloists.
In addition, the Camerata Jagellonica choir has recorded and released several albums, among which are the Song of the Katyn Families by H. M. Górecki (2008), The Jagiellonian University for John Paul II with songs including “Missa pro Pace” and “Homeland” by F. Nowowiejski (2011), On the Day of Christmas record with Polish Christmas carols (2015), Memories of concerts – Vol. 1 (2016), and Angelus Domini (2020).
The Camerata Jagellonica choir has also collaborated with a number of excellent choirs and orchestras, including the Polish Radio Choir, the Choir and the Orchestra of the Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic in Krakow, and the Orchestra of the Royal City of Kraków Sinfonietta Cracovia.
The conductor of the JU Academic Choir Camerata Jagellonica and JU Kraków Academic Choir is Janusz Wierzgacz, who is also responsible for artistic preparation of these choirs. The JU Academic Female Voice Choir is conducted by Anita Pyrek-Nąckiewicz. The choirs’ accompanists are Olga Piotrowska-Cender and Oleg Sznicar, while Laura Lelek and Maciej Drużkowski are responsible for voice projection training. The head of the choirs is Filip Moszner.
Want to learn more? Follow their Facebook profiles!
E-mail
chor.akademicki@uj.edu.pl
Address
ul. Kanonicza 6
31-002 Kraków
Phone
+48 12 663 10 15
Fax
+48 12 421 95 05
The Słowianki Song and Dance Ensemble was founded in 1959 by Zdzisław Wagner (a philologist fascinated by the Slavonic folklore) and it took its beginning from a group of students from the Faculty of Slavonic Philology.
The Słowianki repertoire comprises an abundant collection of Polish national dances and folk songs, and also Slovenian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Russian and Ukrainian folk music.
The ensemble has performed in a lot of countries all over the world and has represented Poland at a number of international folklore festivals. It has been awarded numerous prizes and distinctions.
The Jagiellonian University Orchestra was created in 2017 on the initiative of the All In UJ association. The core of the ensemble is formed by JU students who are musical high school graduates as well as students of the Academy of Music in Kraków who play string and wind instruments. The members take regular part in concerts, university events and student events, performing pieces of classical music, film music and jazz. The orchestra collaborates with the JU Academic Choir and the Słowianki Song and Dance Ensemble.
The discography of the JU Orchestra includes recordings produced in ICE Kraków Congress Centre and the ‘Kotłownia’ studio of the AGH University of Science and Technology. Its members have performed in JU Auditorium Maximum, Collegium Maius, Collegium Novum, the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, and the Kraków Variété Theatre.