The 11th International Choir Festival and Competition “Per musicam ad astra” named after Nicolaus Copernicus will take place from September 18 to 21, 2025, in Toruń and Chełmża. The event is organized by the Toruń-based Association of Choral Music Lovers “Astrolabium” and co-organized by the German agency “Meeting Music.” This year, over a dozen choirs from the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, Poland, South Africa, and Singapore will participate. The program includes competition auditions and festival concerts, culminating in the Nicolaus Copernicus Grand Prix competition. Admission to the concerts featuring choirs from various continents is free!
Among the festival events, three deserve special attention.
On Thursday, September 18, at 8:15 PM, the opening concert “Orbis Caelestium” will take place at the Academic Church of the Holy Spirit. The main organizers – the Astrolabium Choir and the Chamber Orchestra of the Pomeranian Philharmonic, Capella Bydgostiensis, conducted by Kinga Litowska – will perform, with soloists pianist Marek Kamola and percussionist Paweł Witulski. The program will include, among others, Antiphons by Jan Krutul and works by Toruń composer Zuzanna Kozia: Arion i and Plejady (the latter written especially for the choir’s 25th anniversary).
On Saturday, September 20, at 8:00 PM, the gala concert “Al estilo español” will take place at the Artus Court in Toruń. The Łódź Chamber Choir “Vivid Singers,” conducted by Dawid Ber, will perform. The program includes, among others, songs by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Romancero Gitano, set to texts by Federico García Lorca, accompanied by guitar. Joining the choir will be the renowned guitarist Dr. Hab. Maciej Staszewski, Professor at the Academy of Music. An additional highlight of the concert will be a flamenco dance performance.
The competition auditions – open to the public – will be held in the concert hall of the Music Schools Complex in Toruń and in the Church of St. Anthony.
As part of the Festival, friendship concerts will also take place, featuring choirs participating in the competition: on Friday (at 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM) and Saturday (at 6:00 PM) at the Artus Court in Toruń. On Sunday, September 21, at 7:00 PM, choirs will perform in Chełmża at the Co-Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Trinity.
On September 21, at 10:30 AM, the best of the best will compete in the Nicolaus Copernicus Grand Prix competition worth 3,000 euros, held in the concert hall of the Music Schools Complex.
The Festival is under the honorary patronage of the Marshal of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and the Mayor of Toruń. It is co-financed from the budgets of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and the Toruń Municipality.
Admission to the Opening Concert and competition auditions is free, while free tickets for concerts at the Artus Court will be available from September 10 at the Artus Court box office. Due to the participation of over 300 choristers, entry to the Grand Prix Competition and Award Ceremony on Sunday, September 21, held in the Music Schools Complex concert hall, is by invitation only.
Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC
Detailed information: http://pmaa.pl and on social media: https://www.facebook.com/PerMusicamAdAstra/ and https://www.instagram.com/PerMusicamAdAstra/
