Concert relates especially to the multicultural traditions of region Podlaskie located in the very northeast of Poland. We’ll hear the songs in following languages: Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Russian, Romani, Belarusian, Yiddish, Polish and Tatarian.
The concert draws from the richness and diversity of Cicha’s home region – Podlaskie, which is one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse areas in the whole Poland – the borderland between the East an the West. The region is inhabited by Polish, Belarusians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Russians, Tatars and Roma people. Before the war there was a big Jewish community living and working here – the Jews constituted a big proportion of local society. Many religions are practiced there, many languages spoken. No wonder it was here that the idea of Esperanto language was born – in this multicultural Ludwig Zamenhof was brought up. ‘9 Languages Concert’ shows multidimensionalness of Polish culture and the power of music – the best translator of emotions, universal language, understandable for people of all cultures.
The concert was invited to the Official Selection of WOMEX (2015)
Andrew Cronshaw, FROOTS:
‘The set by polyglot Polish singer, accordeonist and electronicist Karolina Cicha and multi-instrumentalist Bart Pałyga was for me a transcendent moment almong the many spot-on showcases at last yea’s WOMEX.’
‘9 Languages’ draws from traditional musical scales. However, it is not a compilation of archive material, but a coherent whole, speaking modern musical language, based on the original Cicha’s style, her charisma and individual expression.
Simon Broughton, SONGLINESS:
‘Karolina Cicha, one of the most interesting and versatile musicians on the Polish folk scene’
‘9 Languages’ concert was also presented on such festivals as:
‘World Music Fest’ (USA); ‘TFF Rudolstadt’ (Germany); ‘FMM Sines Festival’ (Portugal); Ethnoport (Poland); Cheoyong Culture Festival (South Korea); ‘Art Pole’ (Ukraine); ‘Suklegos’ (Lithuania); ‘Folkbaltica’ (Germany/Denmark); ‘Euroradio Folk Festiwal’ (Sweden); ‘Kamianitza’ (Bielaruss); ‘Isole che Parlano’ (Sardinia); ‘Legion Arts’ (Cedar Rapids, USA); ‘Global Union’ (Milwaukee, USA); ‘Lotus Fest’ (Bloomington, USA); ‘Gypsy Festival Drom’ (New York, USA); ‘World Music Festival’ (Slovakia); ‘Music Mela Festival’ (Pakistan); ‘Les Traversées Tatihou’ (France); ‘Five Temples Festival’ (Hungary); ‘Menuo Juodaragis'(Lithuania)
