Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

The symphonic orchestra was created in 1935 and led by Grzegorz Fitelberg until the outbreak of World War II. In March 1945 Witold Rowicki revived the orchestra in Katowice. In 1947, Grzegorz Fitelberg, upon his return from abroad, took over the post of the Artistic Director. After his death in 1953, the orchestra was headed in succession by Jan Krenz, Bohdan Wodiczko, Kazimierz Kord, Tadeusz Strugała, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Stanisław Wisłocki, Jacek Kaspszyk, Antoni Wit, Gabriel Chmura and, once again, Jacek Kaspszyk. In September 2000, Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa was appointed the General and Programme Director. In January 2009 Michał Klauza became the Associate Conductor. Stanisław Skrowaczewski holds the title of the first Guest Conductor of the PNRSO, Jan Krenz is a Honorary Director and the function of Artistic Advisor was fulfilled by Jerzy Semkow. At the beginning of the season 2012/2013, Alexander Liebreich became the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the NOSPR.

The orchestra has recorded more than 198 compact discs for many Polish and foreign labels (Decca, EMI, Philips, etc.) and made numerous archival recordings for the needs of Polish Radio. For the Naxos label they recorded among others complete works of Witold Lutosławski (9 CDs), all symphonies of Tchaikowsky, Schumann, most of Penderecki's (I-V), Mahler's (except for VIII), as well as works of Kilar, Wieniawski, Moszkowski and Górecki and for Chandos Records they made a three record album with music of Mieczysław Weinberg. Recorded by PNRSO K. Penderecki's Credo, H.M. Górecki's Symphony No. 3 and W. Kilar's Missa pro pace were released on DVD and SACD by Polish Radio as The Sacred Triptych. For phonographic achievements the orchestra was honoured with numerous prizes among others Five Piano Concertos by Prokofiev under direction of Antoni Wit with the soloist Kun Woo Paik were awarded the Diapason d'Or and the Grand Prix du Disque de la Nouvelle Académie du Disque 1992 and the recording of Turangalila Symphony by Olivier Messiaen under Antoni Wit was awarded the 2002 Cannes Classical Award. Recently a record for DUX with works of Krzysztof Penderecki (Capriccio for violin and orchestra, De natura sonoris no. 2 for the piano and orchestra Resurrection) with participation of NOSPR as well as soloists Beata Bilińska and Patrycja Piekutowska conducted by the composer received prestigious MIDEM Classical Award 2008 in the category of Contemporary Music.
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