- country:Poland
- style(s):East European, Folk
- label:not signed
- type:Band, Quintet
- gender:male, female
- instrumentation:instrumental, vocal, percussion, string, woodwind, guitar
- artist posted by:Association of Folk Music Animators
Line up
- Anna Kołodziej (violin, Polish folk fiddle, nyckelharpa, vocal)
- Bogdan Bracha (Sheppard flutes, fiddle, vocal )
- Jacek Warszawa (drum set)
- Marcin Skrzypek ( dulcimer, guitar, mandolin, mandola, koboz, vocal)
- Zbyszek Kowalczyk (bass guitar, foot bass, vocal)
Links
The Saint Nicholas Orchestra is said to have “invented folk music in Poland”. The group was founded in 1988 when traditional Polish music was despised and neglected. Then, through songs of Lemko Ruthenians once living in the Polish mountains, we discovered that music from old villages can be intriguing for a modern listener. Since then we have focused our activities on everything associated with folklore, especially whatever has been condemned to be forgotten and yet can inspire and enrich the contemporary culture. Our source of inspiration is folk music of Poland and of the Eastern Carpathian mountains. The distinguishing features of our music are: originality, complexity, dynamism, “white” vocal. Orchestra used only acoustic instruments, but recently has begun experimenting with a stronger sound. The violins, nyckelharpa, shepherd’s flutes and dulcimer have been joined by the drum set and bass guitar. Owing to that, the group has gained a new sound. We do not aim to modernise the folk source, but to create its continuation on the basis of the contemporary world and our sensitivity to tradition. We are keen on trance and progressive arrangements. Our goal is to harmonise modern influences on our music with traditional ways of playing and singing to achieve a new musical idiom. We published 13 albums till now. For many years, the group has played over 2000 concerts, including: Rain Forest Festival, EBU Festival in Rudolstadt, Sfinks Festival, Artpole Festival in Ukraine, and Colours of Ostrava Festival. www.mikolaje.lublin.pl