Maryan Choir

Maryan Choir - The Mixed Marian Choir is based at the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes parish in Cracow led by missioner priests. The choir was founded in the thirties by Rev. Józef Orszulik. Already in 1932 it was awarded the 1st prize at the Choir Competition organised in the Catholic Centre of today's Cracow Concert Hall. In 1950 the choir was reactivated by Rev. Florian Pieczara and his friends. The choir sings during masses, religious, national and cultural celebrations, and festivals. There are around 60 permanent members constituting the choir.

The choir received awards not only in Cracow, but also, to name a few, in Strumień, Legnica, Międzyzdroje, Katowice, Warsaw, and abroad in Gorizia, Loreto, Kosice, Jihlava, Prague, Mohylev. The choir performed in many different countries, cities and places of significance, such as New York, Paris. Brussels, Vienna, Budapest, Zagreb, Medjugorie, Split, Rome, Monte Cassino, Turin, Venice, Milan, Ankona, Urbino, Piobbicco, Massa-Carrara, Oslo, Moss, Aarhus, Randers, Amsterdam, Pampeluna, Prague, Kosice, Lviv, Mohylev, Kamenec Podolskij, Katyn, Nawahrudak, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Ansbach, Hamburg, Frankfurt upon Mein, Berlin or recently in Lyon and Niece. It made its appearance in many breathtaking churches of the world, concert halls and theatres. It performed in the Clementine Hall in the Vatican, gave concerts in radio stations and in Polish embassies in Europe and the United States.

The choir gave hundreds of concerts invoking strong emotions and promoting national culture with its singing. It also organises concerts together with the ensembles from the United States and those coming from almost every European country. The group went on pilgrimages to visit the Pope in Italy several times and sang during the Pope's tours to Poland. The choir performs also accompanied by instrumental ensambles. The Marian Choir boasts numerous records, both in the form of tapes and compact discs, as well as video recordings of the performances and events. Sources of information about the choir's activities are concert programmes, posters and articles published in specialist music magazines.

Its recent achievements are the following:

• 1st prize at the Fourth National Church Choir Competition, "Caecilianum 2004," in Warsaw, 2004 and the prize of the Polish Primate and the Speaker of the Polish Sejm (the lower chamber of parliament)
• Golden Thread Award at the Sixth Cracow Province Choir Review in Niepołomice, 2004
• 2nd prize at the International Christian Music Festival in Mohylev, Belarus, 2003
• Silver Thread Award at the International Christmas Carol Festival in Prague, hosting 64 choirs from around the world, 2002
• Grand Prix at the Cracow Province Choir Competition in Niepołomice, 2001
• Grand Prix at the National Choral Song Competition in Katowice, 2000. In the same year the choir was awarded the "Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice" medal by Cardinal Franciszek Macharski for the special service done to the Church and Christian culture
• Grand Prix at the National Christmas Carol Competition in Myślenice, 1999
• Grand Prix at the Interprovincial Choir Competition in Cracow, dedicated to the Pope, 1998