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The Polish musicologist, choral artist, conductor, art promoter and cultural manager, Agnieszka Żarska, graduated from the Institute of Musicology at Lublin Catholic University specialising in choir conducting (studied in the class of Professor Grzegorz Pecki). She graduated with distinction in 2002, she was awarded her distinction for, amongst other things, conducting the Polish premiere of one of the works of Claudio Monteverdi.
For years Agnieszka Żarska has been fascinated with vocal polyphony and the music and culture of ancient times. She is developing her expertise by participating in symposiums and workshops for conductors (International Choir Music Symposium - Gdańsk 2003, Legnica - 2004), master's courses run by Professor Uve Gronostay (Germany) and Professor Jan Łukaszewski. In 2008, she took part in rehearsals for J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion (BWV 245) in Vienna Musikferein led by Nikolaus Harnoncourt with Arnold Schoenberg Chor and Concentus Musicus Wien orchestra. She sympathises with the views of the distinguished conductor, Nikolaus Harnoncourt who perceives the music as 'the language of sounds'. As far as the issues of emission and groups' sound development are concerned, she models her style on the English choir school.
Agnieszka Żarska is co-founder and Artistic Director/Manager and the author of all artistic-educational projects of Szczawnicki Chór Kameralny (Szczawnickiego Chóru Kameralnego, Szczawnicki Choir Chamber), initiator and artistic project manager of the team, collaborating with orchestras and soloists of HIP ensembles (Musica Aeterna Bratislava, Musica Florea Praha, 17th & 17th Century Music Ensemble Extempore). She is an originator and artistic director of Barokowych Eksploracji (Baroque Exploration), Founder and Artistic Director and Conductor of the international ensemble Baroque Collegium 1685. Within the framework of the Baroque Explorations, she acquires funds finances and organizes oratorio-cantata concerts, virtuoso recitals, Polish premieres of Baroque operas: Armida by Giuseppe Scarlatti, Coronation opera Costanza e fortezza by Johann Joseph Fux. Also, since 2008 she works as a specialist for culture in Thermaleo Company in Szczawnica. She currently lives in Szczawnica, Poland.
As conductor she has performed the following works: J.S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 29 Wir danken dir Gott, BWV 63 Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 65 Sie werden aus Saba, BWV 123 Liebster Emmanuel, BWV 129 Gelobet sei der Herr, BWV 133 They freue mich in dir, BWV 194 Hochsterwunschtes Freudenfest, BWV 249 Oster-Oratorium; Samuel Capricornius: Jesus In pace imperative, Magnificat; George Frideric Handel: Chandos Anthems No. 2, No. 6b, No. 8, oratorio Messiah (selection), overtures: Juda Macabeus, Theodora; Michael Richard Delalande: Grand motet Super flumina babilonis; Claudio Monteverdi: Beatus Vir a 6 (Selva morale e Spirituale), Cantate Domino, Deus in adiutorium meum intende; Marc Antoine Charpentier: Te Deum (selection); Mikolaj Zieleński: Offertoria e Communiones (selection); Marcin Mielczewski: Missa o Gloriosa Domina, Benedictio et Claritas; a-cappella repertoire from Gregorian chant to contemporary music, including, among others, motets by Felix Mendelssohn, Antony Bruckner, Max Reger, Maurice Duruflé; Premiere performances of contemporary music - a-cappella miniatures, inspired by the sacred singing of the Sikorski highlanders, written especially for Szczawnickiego Chóru Kameralnego. |
