A full-time ensemble of the Ignacy Jan Padarewski Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz – Capella Bydgostiensis, one of the leading Polish chamber orchestras, made its debut in 1962. The post of its artistic director was held by: Stanisław Gałoński, Włodzimierz Szymański, Karol Teutsch, Daniel Stabrawa, Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk and Wiesław Kwaśny. Currently the orchestra collaborates on a regular basis with José Maria Florêncio.
The wide repertoire of the ensemble encompasses different epochs and musical styles, ranging from early to contemporary music. Capella Bydgostiensis gives about 40 concerts a year and is regularly invited to perform on the most important stages in Poland and Europe, including such prestigious halls as the Warsaw Philharmonic, Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Schauspielhaus in Berlin, Schloss Mirabell in Salzburg, Royal Palace in Stockholm, El Escorial in Spain, Dutch Radio Hall in Utrecht, Royal Castle in Warsaw, Leopoldine Hall in Wrocław or Lviv Philharmonic. The ensemble’s guest soloists and conductors include: Ewa Podleś, Wanda Wiłkomirska, Roman Jabłoński, Garry Karr, Wieland Kuijken, Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, George Malcolm, Takao Ukigaya, Paweł Przytocki, Paul Esswood, Krzysztof Jakowicz, Ewa Pobłocka, Waldemar Malicki, Tomasz Tomaszewski, Jan Stanienda, Krzysztof Meisinger, Michał Maciaszczyk and many others.
One of the orchestra’s most interesting recent project included concert tours in Brazil (in 2010, 2011 and 2012), during which the musicians performed in Rio de Janeiro, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Vitória, São Josè dos Campos, Diadema, Atibaia, Piracicaba and Pedra Azul, and received enthusiastic reviews both by the audience and music critics.
Capella Bydgostiensis contributed numerous audio recordings for Polish, Dutch and Spanish record labels, as well as several radio and TV recordings. In 2012 DUX record label released the orchestra’s double album with Brazilian and Polish compositions, recorded with Brazilian violinist Maria F. Krug under the direction of José Maria Florêncio. In 2014, as a result of cooperation with soprano Barbara Kubiak, the ensemble published a CD with compositions titled Ave Maria written by 10 composers of different epochs.