The composer Vítězslav Novák (1870–1949) fell under the spell of Moravian folk music at the turn of the 20th century, giving rise to Two Ballads for Mixed Choir and Piano Four Hands, op. 19 (1898).  Novák set the balladic material to music with a poignant romantic pathos and a range of onomatopoeic effects.  The inner beauty of Bohemian and Moravian folk poetry also had an effect on Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959). In his cycle of Czech Madrigals (1939) the composer combined polyphonic techniques with folk poetry to great effect. The simple folk Hymn to Saint Jacob for soloists, mixed choir, small orchestra and organ from 1954 was dedicated by Martinů to the church in Polička, which was linked to his memories of childhood.

Music by contemporary Brno composers is represented by the sacred cantata Dies irae for mixed choir and organ (1969) by the composer, choirmaster and music director Petr Řezníček (*1938) and the composition Regina coeli laetare by the composer and choirmaster Petr Fiala (*1943).

The male choruses by Leoš Janáček from 1906 to 1909, based on poetry by the rebellious Silesian poet Petr Bezruč, represents the pinnacle of the composer’s choral work. The depiction of socially oppressed individuals driven to suicide (Maryčka Magdónova), and the collective “maelstrom of passionate revolt, which after centuries of amassed oppression explodes in immense grief and power” (70.000), to quote Max Brod, led Leoš Janáček to an original expressive musical voice, through which he was able to underscore the directness of Bezruč’s socially critical poetry and transform the individual choruses into impressive musical drama. In addition there is a shorter sacred work by Janáček for male chorus Veni sancte spiritus,composed for the students of the Teaching Institute in Brno.

The Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno was founded in 1990 and quickly became one of the busiest and most highly awarded professional choirs in Europe.  Its main focus is on the oratorio, cantata and opera repertoire from all eras and styles, though naturally a cappella works feature strongly too. Its rise in quality is demonstrated by the increasing number and scope of concerts it performs, both in the Czech Republic and abroad: each year the ensemble performs around 90 concerts. It has worked with all of the Czech and several international orchestras and conductors, and is a regular guest at major international festivals and concerts across the whole of Europe.  The choir has sung with distinguished Czech and international orchestras in most European countries as well as in Argentina, Uruguay and Thailand. The choir has made a number of recordings for prominent recording companies. In 2007 it received two prestigious German awards – the ECHO Klassik “Choir of the Year 2007” for its recording of sacred motets by Anton Bruckner and “Recording of the Year 2007” for Franz Liszt’s oratorio Christus, in 2009 it was awarded the German Critics’ Award for its recording of  B. A. Zimmermann’s Requiem für einen jungen Dichter and in 2011 it received the Japanese Tokusen award for its CD of Dvořák’s Requiem.

Petr Fiala, the founder, musical director and conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Choir, is a graduate in composition and conducting from the Brno Conservatory and the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts. In addition to teaching (he was a professor at the Brno Conservatory) and composing (he has written around 180 compositions), he has devoted fifty years of his life to his work as a choirmaster and conductor. He has won numerous awards both as a composer and conductor, he lectures at courses for conductors and is a member on international jury panels. He is a regular guest conductor with Czech and international orchestras and choirs, with an emphasis on vocal-instrumental compositions.