The choir was founded in 2009 by Andrzej Kosendiak, Director of the National Forum of Music in Wrocław, and from the beginning it has been working under the direction of Małgorzata Podzielny. From 2023, Mikołaj Szczęsny will be the assistant artistic director of the ensemble.
The NFM Boys’ Choir actively participates in artistic life, giving concerts with the best orchestras and conductors, such as John Eliot Gardiner, Giovanni Antonini, Zubin Mehta, Giancarlo Guerrero, and Jacek Kaspszyk. It has been invited to numerous artistic events taking place during the International Festival Wratislavia Cantans and Leo Festival, as well as to film production projects (of Agnieszka Holland and Michał Kwieciński), in addition to working for television and theatre. It has also performed in Germany, Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, and Japan.
The choir’s discography includes albums released by the NFM: Salzburg Marian Mass (2015) with music by Mozart, Witold Lutosławski: Opera omnia 07 (2018) with songs for children, works by Marcin Józef Żebrowski conducted by Andrzej Kosendiak (2018), This Day (2019) with music for children by Bob Chilcott, The Light of a Winter Night (2022) containing arrangements of carols and pastorals by Michał Ziółkowski with the participation of the NFM Choir and NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra conducted by Małgorzata Podzielny, and their latest work, Philharmonic of Mr Blot (2023), with arrangements of songs from films about Mr Blot, which was nominated for a Fryderyk Award in the Crossover category in 2025.
In addition to the choir’s regular schedule, the young singers also participate in workshops led by Polish and international experts several times a year. The choir won two Gold Diplomas at the 55th International Choral Festival in Międzyzdroje (2020) and the Gold Prize at the 11th World Peace Choral Festival Online Events in Vienna (2021). The choir also received a Golden Diploma and a Special Prize for the highest score in the children’s and youth choirs category at the National Choral Competition held as part of the National Choral Forum “Wrocław – the City of Music” (2021), a Golden Diploma in the online edition of the National Sacred Music Competition “Dona Nobis Pacem” of the Polish Association of Cultural Animators “Kulturalny Koneser” in Wrocław (2022), took first place at the Ohrid Choir Festival in Macedonia (2022), won the Grand Prix at the 42nd National Competition of A Capella Choirs for Children and Youth in Bydgoszcz (2024), and also took part in the Stefan Stuligrosz Grand Prix of Polish Choral Music in Poznań (2024). In 2025, the NFM Boys’ Choir won gold diplomas in the “Musica Sacra” and “Children’s Choirs up to16 Years of Age” categories at the 60th International Prof Jan Szyrocki Choral Song Festival in Międzyzdroje, as well as gold diplomas in the “Sacred Music” and Children’s Choirs categories at the 10th International Prof Józef Świder Music Festival in Cieszyn.
The NFM Boys’ Choir is active in three groups. More information about recruitment and the beginner and intermediate groups can be found at: https://www.nfm.wroclaw.pl/edukacja-dla-mlodych-artystow/nabor-i-zajecia.
Achievements of the NFM Boys’ Choir
2020
55th International Choral Festival in Międzyzdroje
• Two Golden Diplomas
2021
11th World Peace Choral Festival Online Events in Vienna
• Gold Prize
National Choral Competition, part of the National Choral Forum “Wrocław – the City of Music”
• Golden Diploma in the children’s and youth choirs category
• Special Prize for the highest score in the children’s and youth choirs category
2022
4th National Choral Competition and Festival “Musica in Urbe”
• Victory and Golden Diploma in the children’s choirs category
• Prize for the performance of a work by a Bydgoszcz-based composer
• Special Prize of the Chairman of the Artistic Council of the National Sea Song Festival in Wejherowo. Online edition of the National Sacred Music Competition “Dona Nobis Pacem" organised by the Polish Association of Cultural Animators “Kulturalny Koneser” in Wrocław
• Golden Diploma
Ohrid Choir Festival in Macedonia
• Victory in Category A
• Prize for the best interpretation of the choral piece by Zapro Zaprov
2024
42nd National Competition of Children’s and Youth A Cappella Choirs in Bydgoszcz
• Grand Prix
• Golden Tuning Fork
• Cup of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage for the highest score and for the best performance of a mandatory piece in its category
• Special Prize of the Minister of National Education
• Special Prize of the President of the Main Board of the Polish Association of Choirs and Orchestras
Stefan Stuligrosz Grand Prix of Polish Choral Music 2024 in Poznań
2025
Nomination for a Fryderyk Award for the “Album of the Year – Classical Crossover” category for the album Philharmonic of Mr Blot
60th International Prof Jan Szyrocki Choral Song Festival in Międzyzdroje
• Golden Diploma in the “Musica Sacra” category
• Golden Diploma in the Children’s Choirs up to 16 years of age category
• Special Prize of the Director of the International Cultural Centre
10th International Prof Józef Świder Music Festival in Cieszyn
• Winner and Golden Diploma in the Children’s Choirs category
• Winner and Golden Diploma in the Sacred Music category
• Special Prize for the best performance of a piece inspired by folklore and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Educational Sciences Cup of the University of Silesia in Cieszyn
• Special Prize for the best performance of a sacred piece and the Cup of His Excellency the Bishop of the Cieszyn Diocese of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church and His Excellency Bishop of the Katowice Diocese