Choir Cantate Deo

Choir Cantate Deo – Poland

International Choir Festival in Toscana, April 2025

The Cantate Deo Choir at the Holy Cross Parish in Tychy-Czułów began its activities in November 2008.

The choir consists of students, working professionals, and retirees. The primary focus of the Cantate Deo Choir is to serve the Holy Cross Parish in Tychy-Czułów.

The choir’s conductor from the very beginning has been Michał Brożek, a graduate of the Academy of Music in Katowice, where he studied conducting under Prof. Dr. Hab. Iwona Melson.

The choir’s repertoire mainly consists of religious works from various periods, ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary compositions. In addition to sacred music, the choir also performs arrangements of popular music.

Over the course of its 17 years of activity, the choir has participated in national and international choral competitions and festivals, where it has been awarded numerous times.

Among the most recent achievements of the ensemble are 2nd place at the 30th Myślenice Choral Festival “Carols and Pastoral Songs” in 2025, qualifying for the 2nd stage of the Tychy Christmas Carols Evenings in 2024, and winning a Silver Diploma at the National Choral Competition during the XV Silesian Choral Music Festival “Magnificat” in Bytom in November 2022.

In December 2022, the Cantate Deo Choir earned a Silver Diploma at the 7th International Music Festival named after Prof. Józef Świder in Cieszyn.

In June 2023, the choir celebrated its 15th anniversary with a performance of the oratorio “Have the Courage to Live for Love,” composed by conductor Michał Brożek especially for the Jubilee. The choir has released two albums: “Requiem Mass” by Gabriel Fauré and an album of Polish Christmas carols.

Michal Brozek – Conductor

Michał Brożek – the conductor, organist, composer, music teacher. He is the graduate of Karol Szymanowski Music Academy in Katowice.

In 2009 he graduated from the bachelor programme in two specializations: Music Education and Conducting Vocal and Vocal-Instrumental Bands and also Church Music.

In 2011 he graduated with distinction from the master programme in the following specializations: Conducting the Choir with theoretical and musical courses in the conducting class of professor Iwona Melson and Music Education with theoretical and musical courses.

In 2010 he was a participant of the 13^th National Choral Conductor’s Competition in Poznań. During his study period, in 2008, he started a “Cantate Deo” Choir by the Saint Cross Parish in Tychy and in 2013 has become the conductor of the Choir of the University of Economics in Katowice.

He gives concerts in Poland and abroad, including in Italy, Spain, France, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Macedonia and China.

He has won numerous awards and distinctions with his ensembles, the most recent of which include :

– 1st place in the mixed choirs category and the Grand Prix at the 10th International Choral Competition “Music & Sea” in Paralia, Greece (2022)

– Gold Diploma in the academic choirs category (1st place category) and a Special Award for the best performance of a sacred piece during the 17th International Choir Festival “Gaude Cantem” in Bielsko-Biała (2022)

– Golden Diploma and 1st place at the National Choir Tournament Legnica Cantat 53 in Legnica and an award for the best performance of a contemporary Polish composer (2023)

– 1st place in the mixed choir category and 3rd place in the Grand Prix competition at the International Choir Competition in Provence (2023). Furthermore, he has been awarded as the best conductor of the International Choir Competition in Provence 2023 and has therefore been invited to act as Jury Member for the 2024 edition.

Also he has sepeatedly received a special award for the best conductor in others festivals and choral competitions.

Since 2015 he has been the artistic director of the Local Review of Carols and Pastorals in Tychy for primary schools, middle and high schools.

And since 2018, the artistic director of the Metropolitan Choral Festival in Katowice. He successfully conducted many vocal and instrumental concerts, such as J. Rutter’s Magnificat, G. Faure’s Requiem, J.S.Bach’s Great Mass in B minor, W. Kilar’s Missa pro Pace, and K. Jenkins’ Stabat Mater.

He has recorded 4 CDs: Gabriel Faure’s Requiem, carol albums recorded with the “Cantate Deo” Choir and the Choir of the University of Economics in Katowice, as well as the CD Caelesti lumine which contains sacred songs performed by the Choir of the University of Economics in Katowice.

LISTEN

DATE