Participating artists include, on the Polish side; Jacek Hałas, Agata Harz, Alicja Hałas, and Remigiusz Hanaj, and on the Turkish side; Erol Şahiner and Mustafa Aydın. Agnieszka Ayşen Kaim will host the event. The Polish bards and Turkish ashiks first met to perform together on 21st March, 2014, in Warsaw. The group will now be meeting for two performances in Turkey’s capital city, Ankara.
The historical and traditional art of singing by Polish bards is becoming popular again in contemporary culture. Old Polish bards sang songs and ballads based on motifs taken from historical events as well as the Bible, and played the hurdy gurdy – an instrument with a thousand years of history. The hurdy gurdy is still common, especially on the Polish-Ukrainian border.
Similarly, the centuries-old tradition of ashiks throughout Turkey and Central Asia represents a mystic bard who travels and sings songs based on traditional epics, while playing the saz – a long necked lute.
The concerts are organized by the Grupa Studnia O. Association, which is a pioneering group of storytellers in Poland, formed in 1997 in Warsaw. Other collaborators include: Poland Storytellers Association and the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Ankara.
The concerts are a part of the Tales and Wanderers project with more performances also in Bursa and Istanbul.
Programme:
The Meeting of Polish Bards and Turkish Ashiks (Two concerts)
Ankara: 27 & 28 September, 20:00, Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage
The event is organized as part of the cultural programme marking the 600th anniversary of Polish-Turkish diplomatic relations.
Edited by E.M. 09/09/2014