The Society of Early Music TRAZOM - PL

The Society of Early Music TRAZOM was founded in 1996. The activities were started immediately after setting up the society. The main idea of creating TRAZOM was to represent a baroque orchestra Concerto Polacco and a chamber choir, Sine Nomine. The artistic director of both the ensembles is Marek Toporowski.

The first meaningful concert organised by TRAZOM was St.John Passion by J.S.Bach, performed during the Early Music Festival in Warsaw in December 1997. It was the first Polish performance of this masterpiece with period instruments. In January 1998 TRAZOM started the presentation of the series of concerts titled Masterpieces of Cantata and Oratorio Music.

Marek Toporowski performs with equal mastery as harpsichord player, organist, chamber musician and conductor. As a conductor, he specialises in performing oratorio music. He combines the temperament of a romantic virtuoso with profound knowledge of historical performing practice. His broad interests are not confined to baroque (and earlier) music, but extend to the Romantic period.

He graduated from the Music Academy in Warsaw where he studied organ with Józef Serafin (diploma cum laude) and harpsichord with Leszek Kędracki. He furthered his musical education in France (Strasbourg), Germany (Saarbrücken) and Holland (Amsterdam) with professors Aline Zylberajch and Bob van Asperen (harpsichord) and Daniel Roth (organ). During his studies he obtained numerous awards and honorable mentions, notably the First Prize at the Wanda Landowska National Harpsichord Competition in Kraków in 1985.

Contact with the outstanding pianist Kajetan Mochtak has exerted a far-reaching influence on the artistic personality of Marek Toporowski.

Marek Toporowski founded two leading Polish ensembles which specialise in performing baroque oratorio and cantata music: a baroque orchestra Concerto Polacco and a chamber choir Sine Nomine. Marek Toporowski gives concerts in Poland and abroad. He has recorded several CDs and is an experienced teacher. In 1990-1991 he taught harpsichord at the Musikhochschule des Saarlandes. At present he runs a harpsichord class at the Music Academy in Katowice.

The Sine Nomine choir was founded by Marek Toporowski in 1996. It consists of 16-24 singers. The choir specialises in performing baroque and classicical cantata and oratorio music. It also gives concerts of a capella music of other times - renaissance and romantic. Together with the orchestra Concerto Polacco it has performed Masterpieces of Cantata and Oratorio Music - which is the series of concerts organised by the Society of Early Music TRAZOM. These concerts have already become an important part of artistic events in Warsaw. The repertoire of Sine Nomine comprises such masterpieces like Messiah by G.F. Handel, B minor Mass and St. John Passion by J.S. Bach, several of Bach's cantatas, Masses by Mozart and Haydn and also less known pieces (which are often first contemporary performances of forgotten works), e.g. Passio Christi by J.B.Freisslich or Missa de Nativitate by J.Wański.

In 1999 and 2001 the choir - together with Concerto Polacco - represented Poland in the European Broadcasting Union. In May 2000 Concerto Polacco and Sine Nomine, under the leadership of Marek Toporowski, became The Festival Ensemble at the Bach Festival organised by the Polish Radio Channel 2.

The choir also took part in recording three CDs with music by G.G. Gorczycki.

Concerts:

12. october 2008, Warsaw (Poland)

The Sine Nomine Coir, directed by Piotr Zawistowski

Works by Jacob Obrecht, Heinrich Isaac and Pierre de la Rue

Organised by TRAZOM

More information: www.trazom.art.pl