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The National Forum of Music Choir is a renowned classical music ensemble based in Wrocław, Poland. The choir was founded in 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, as part of the newly established National Forum of Music institution. Over the years, the choir has become one of the most respected and acclaimed vocal ensembles in Poland and beyond, known for its exceptional musicianship, versatility, and commitment to promoting the rich heritage of choral music. The early years of the National Forum of Music Choir were marked by a period of rebuilding and reorganization, as Poland was recovering from the devastation of war. The choir's first conductor was Janusz Hajdun, a prominent Polish composer and conductor who had previously led the Kraków Philharmonic Choir. Under Hajdun's leadership, the choir quickly established itself as a leading force in the Polish choral scene, performing a wide range of repertoire from Renaissance polyphony to contemporary works. One of the early highlights of the choir's career was its participation in the 1949 International Festival of Contemporary Music in Venice, where it performed works by Polish composers such as Witold Lutosławski and Andrzej Panufnik. This marked the beginning of the choir's international career, which would later take it to major venues and festivals across Europe and beyond. In the 1950s and 1960s, the National Forum of Music Choir continued to expand its repertoire and refine its sound under the direction of several prominent conductors, including Tadeusz Szeligowski, Kazimierz Wiłkomirski, and Stanisław Krawczyński. During this period, the choir also began to collaborate with leading orchestras and soloists, such as the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and the pianist Krystian Zimerman. One of the most significant moments in the choir's history came in 1970, when it was invited to participate in the prestigious Festival of Flanders in Belgium. This marked the choir's first major international tour, and it was a resounding success, with critics praising the choir's "impeccable intonation, clarity of diction, and expressive power." This tour helped to establish the choir's reputation as one of the finest vocal ensembles in Europe. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the National Forum of Music Choir continued to tour extensively and record prolifically, releasing numerous albums of choral music from various periods and styles. The choir also continued to collaborate with leading composers and conductors, such as Krzysztof Penderecki and Jerzy Semkow. In the 1990s, the choir underwent a period of transition, as several new conductors were appointed to lead the ensemble. One of the most notable of these was Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny, who became the choir's artistic director in 1998. Under Franków-Żelazny's leadership, the choir has continued to expand its repertoire and explore new directions in choral music, while maintaining its commitment to excellence and tradition. In recent years, the National Forum of Music Choir has continued to perform at major venues and festivals around the world, including the Salzburg Festival, the Edinburgh International Festival, and the BBC Proms. The choir has also received numerous awards and accolades for its recordings, including several Fryderyk Awards (the Polish equivalent of the Grammy Awards) and the prestigious Diapason d'Or.

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