THE POLISH RADIO NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN KATOWICE (NOSPR)

NOSPR acts as a cultural ambassador representing Poland during international artistic events. The ensemble cooperated with the greatest composers of the second half of the 20th century: Witold Lutosławski, Krzysztof Penderecki and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, presenting premieres of their compositions. NOSPR was formed by Grzegorz Fitelberg, who also acted as its director until the outbreak of World War II. In 1945 the orchestra was revived in Katowice by Witold Rowicki. In 1947, Grzegorz Fitelberg once again assumed artistic direction of the orchestra; following his death in 1953, the orchestra was headed by: Jan Krenz, Bohdan Wodiczko, Kazimierz Kord, Tadeusz Strugała, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Stanisław Wisłocki, Jacek Kaspszyk, Antoni Wit, Gabriel Chmura. In September 2000, Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa became the Orchestra's General and Programme Director. In 2009 Jacek Kaspszyk became the Music Director and Michał Klauza the Associate Conductor. The title of the first Guest Conductor of NOSPR was accepted by Stanisław Skrowaczewski, Honorary Conductor by Jan Krenz and Artistic Advisor by Jerzy Semkow. Apart from archival records for the Polish Radio, the orchestra has recorded almost 200 albums that have been released on CD’s by many famed record companies, including Decca, EMI, Philips, Chandos,  Naxos). The orchestra has received numerous state awards and distinctions for its artistic achievements, among Diapason d’Or and Grand Prix du Disque de la Nouvelle Académie du Disque, Cannes Classical Award, Midem Classical Award. The orchestra has appeared in concert with some of the world's most outstanding conductors and with world famous soloists, including Martha Argerich, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Buchbinder, James Conlon, Placido Domingo, Pierre Fournier, Nicolai Gedda, Barbara Hendricks, Julius Katchen, Leonidas Kavakos, Wilhelm Kempff, Kevin Kenner, Paweł Klecki, Kiryłł Kondraszyn, Marguerite Long, Witold Lutosławski, Charles Mackerras, Misha Maisky, Neville Marriner, Kurt Masur, Shlomo Mintz, Ivan Monighetti, Garrick Ohlsson, Kun Woo Paik, Krzysztof Penderecki, Maurizio Pollini, Hermann Prey, Ruggiero Ricci, Mścisław Rostropowicz, Artur Rubinstein, Jerzy Semkow, En Shao, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, Isaac Stern, Henryk Szeryng, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Pieter Wispelwey, Krystian Zimerman, Nicolai Znaider.
The Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra has performed in a majority of European countries, as well as in North and South America, Japan, Hong Kong, China,, Australia, New Zealand, Korea and Taiwan. The spectacular projects of the orchestra, which faced the enthusiastic reception of audiences and music critics, ( Marathon of Górecki's Music, Inclination to Kilar Music, Music Sea Journey, Górecki Penderecki Festival- 75 anniversary of birthday). Since 2005 NOSPR has been the organizer of artistic event called Festival of Premieres- Polish Contemporary Music.