Prof. Józef Świder International Festival of Music

The 12th Prof. Józef Świder International Festival of Music will take place in Cieszyn and other Silesian locations on 18–20 June 2027. The Music Without Borders Foundation co-organises the event with the University of Silesia in Katowice, its Faculty of Arts and Educational Science and the Institute of Music in Cieszyn.

Competition, concerts and research

The programme combines the Prof. Józef Świder International Choral Competition, the Laureates’ Concert, festival concerts across Upper Silesia and Cieszyn Silesia, and the 7th Polish National Conference “Repertuar poszukiwany cd.”.

Competition categories

The regulations specify 12 competition categories:

• Sacred music
• Contemporary music
• Folk / ethnic music
• Gospel, spiritual, jazz and pop
• Chamber choirs (12–24 singers)
• Vocal ensembles (up to 12 singers)
• Mixed choirs
• Equal-voice choirs
• Children’s choirs (up to age 15)
• Youth choirs (ages 15–19)
• Academic choirs
• Senior choirs (over age 60)

Two main categories may be selected. Entry into a third category requires consultation with the Festival Director; the additional category remains pending their approval after submission. Choir / ensemble type is a separate field in the application form.

Partner-funded awards

In addition to the Grand Prix and jury prizes, partners fund two PLN 1,000 awards: the STOLZ Photography Team Photojournalists’ Award and an award for the best performance of a Polish-language piece.

Competition applications are open until 31 March 2027. The regulations and application form are available in the Competitions section.