Piotr Palka completed his education in 1999 at the Academy of Music in Krakow obtaining many honors and outstanding achievements from the class of Prof. Marta Wierzbieniec. The year prior to Palka’s graduation, he was named the laureate of the 7th National Competition for Choral Conductors in Poznan, achieving second place and winning two special prizes: the best vocal shaping of an ensemble and the best method of working with a choir. In addition, in 1998/99, Palka received a scholarship from the Minister of Culture and Art for outstanding achievements in science.
In 1998, he began his musical career in Krakow. He worked as a conductor for many ensembles, e.g. the International Choir, the Jewish Music Choir, the Seminary Choir of the Congregation of Missionary and Michalite Priests, the Choir of ZpiT Krakowiacy and the Scholar of the Capuchin Friars Minor. In June 1999, he was the conductor of the Papal Choir during a meeting with the Holy Father in Błonia Krakowskie. From August 1997 to January 2013 he was a singer in the Polish Radio S.A. Choir. in Krakow. As a singer, he has collaborated with Zubin Mehta, Helmuth Rilling, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, Krzysztof Penderecki, Wojciech Kilar, Antoni Wit, Łukasz Borowicz, and Stanisław Krawczyński.
Since 1993, he has been composing and arranging choral pieces which can be heard primarily in the Dominican and Franciscan Basilica in Krakow as well as throughout Poland and around the world. He has collaborated with the John Paul II Institute for Cultural Dialogue in Krakow, as well as the John Paul II Center in Krakow. During the years 2005-2015, established by decree of the Metropolitan of Krakow, he was a member of the Archdiocesan Church Music Commission in Krakow. Since 2004, he has been actively involved in the renewal of liturgical music by leading numerous music and liturgical workshops throughout Poland and abroad in Germany, Belgium, England, Switzerland, Lithuania, and Italy.
His interest in vocal music continued when he founded the mixed choir, “Voce Angeli” (Voice of the Angels), in 1999. For 24 years, the choir has been operating at the Basilica of St. Francis in Krakow. Choir members consist of students and graduates of the surrounding Krakow universities. Voce Angeli performs religious and secular music, mainly a cappella. Its repertoire includes original compositions and arrangements by Piotr Pałka.
