This was the second edition of the project, which allows talented young people to hone their skills under the guidance of esteemed instructors. This year's workshop is also a step towards cultural exchange between the Green and White Forests, as participants came from both regions.
The first Thursday classes were conducted by Marcin Drabik, Magdalena Golon, Pawel Dabkowski and Karol Samsel to polish the repertoire for the planned concerts. It should be noted that the young musicians were so eager to play that they grabbed violins, accordions and harmoniums even during breaks. What's more, the sounds of Kurpie music resounded in the corridor of the center in Birds every day from the very morning, after all, there is rarely an opportunity to play together in such a lineup....
On Thursday afternoon, the participants visited the open-air museum in Nowogrod, and then the next round of classes began. Olga Stopinska conducted lessons in Kurpie singing, and Piotr Piszczatowski taught the basics of drumming, working on the youngsters' sense of rhythm. This was followed by a meeting with Anna Raskolnikoff, who talked about the construction of the hurdy-gurdy and the traditions of playing the instrument.
On the second day of the workshop, the young musicians visited the A. Chętnik Elementary School in Nowogrod, where they promoted folklore among the youngest. They played in individual classrooms for their classmates, and the instructors talked about Kurpie culture, introducing the children to basic songs and steps of folk dances. A concert for the entire school community was held in the sports hall, the beginning of which was announced, with the sound of the ligava. This is an indispensable attribute of Witold Kuczynski, a renowned musician and activist for Kurpie communities. Children listened with interest to Mr. Witold's stories in the Kurpie dialect and clapped to the rhythm of lively folk melodies.
Trzeciego dnia uczestnicy odwiedzili muzeum w Łomży, żeby poznać historię i tradycję kurpiowską oraz wzięli udział w zajęciach rękodzielniczych. Warsztaty organizowane przez Narodowy Instytut Kultury i Dziedzictwa Wsi, miały bowiem na celu nie tylko rozwijanie umiejętności muzycznych, ale również budzenie zamiłowania do kultury ludowej i poszerzanie wiedzy na jej temat. Wieczorem, podobnie jak w zeszłym roku, odbył się koncert, po którym zorganizowano potańcówkę. Gościom przygrywała do tańca Kapela „Dziki Sad” wspierana przez bardziej doświadczonych uczestników warsztatów.
On Sunday, the last day, young people took part in a march through the streets of Nowogrod as part of the National Kurpie Culture Days. The young musicians aroused a lot of interest, marching to the rhythm of Kurpie melodies such as "Starej baby" and "Jadą goście, jadą". After the march, they were invited straight to the stage so they could give a short concert for the guests. Director Elzbieta Osinska-Kassa spoke to the audience on behalf of NIKiDW, inviting everyone to the next, third edition of the workshop next year.
It is noteworthy that many participants from last year took part in the event, and this proves that young people really want to develop further and learn about Kurpie musical traditions. The participants are getting more and more in tune, one can say that they sound like a real folk band. Who knows, perhaps the workshop in the future will turn out to be the beginning of a larger musical project... One thing is certain, however - traditional folk music in Kurpie will not disappear for a long time to come!
Text: Aleksandra Dabkowska
Photo by Krzysztof Piekarski
Video coverage of the event: Ewa Mamińska and Krzysztof Polakowski
