Warsaw Autumn
The WA festival has always been the profoundly elite event, raising my deepest curiosity and true respect. The great names of Krzysztof Penderecki, John Cage or Witold Lutosławski and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki made me feel daunted.
In my deepest belief, contemporary music describes the world in unique way, allowing to reject all schemes, stylistic rules and limitations imposed by any genre. It requires complete openness of the artists, performers and the audience, undivided subjection to the sounds and going beyond the limits of imagination. Being IN the music.
During this-year Warsaw Autumn I experienced one of the most exiting weeks of my filled with music existence.
Within the 57. International Festival of Contemporary Music Warsaw Autumn, we took part, together with Jola, in the performance of REKA by Yuval Avital for a nearly one hundred voice choir, soloists, drummers and two conductors.
‘Full exotics at the music level! Six soloists – representatives of the ancient traditional cultures, the masters of unique vocal techniques such as: overtone chanting – the art of singing originating from the Mongolian nomadic rituals. A prayer of Lama, the language of slaps, Zulu traditions and numerous other fascinating forms – all perfectly heard! The drum section covered djembe, frame drums and damaru, rolmo and tensha cymbals, dungkar conch and many other’ – that’s how the organizers described the event.
The performance held on 24 September of the current year was preceded by strenuous preparations and a cycle of three-hour rehearsals conducted at first by Antoni Beksiak, followed by Yuval Avital himself and conductor Dario Garegnani. It was amazing! Trying with my all strength to play my role in this non-musician choir, following the score leading us through numerous tasks and instructions displayed by pictures and images, I’ve breathed in every moment, every note and every sound. The presence of singers – soloists and dynamic drummers made the performance complete and perfect. Then I realized, what an incredible thing I am a part of! A great work and great names:
Omar Bandinu, (Sardinia) canto bassu, overtone changing of tenores tradition,
Enkhjargal Dandarvaanchig, (Mongolia / Germany) overtone and harmonic singing of the Mongolian nomadic rituals, with morin khuur (Mongolian fiddle)
Sofia Kaikov, (Tajikistan / Israel) – Jewish Bukhara tradition, mugam epic singing with frame drum and cymbals
Yusuf Joe Legwabe, (South Africa / Great Britain) Zulu tradition, overtone chanting and language of slaps, djembe (African goblet drum)
Sainkho Namtchylak, (Syberia / Austria) Tuva traditions, harmonic and overtone chanting
Lama Samten Yeshe Rinpoché, (Tibet / France) bön Tibetan tradition – ritual chants and instruments (nga drum, rolmo and tensha cymbals, damaru drum, silnye bell, dungkar conch and koyo trumpet)
Simone Beneventi, drums
Lorenzo Colombo, drums
Yuval Avital, soloists conductor
Dario Garegnani, conductor
…and don’t forget us – The Crowd
The concert. Performed in the hall of the Koneser Factory in Warsaw’s Praga, a perfect site for such events. During my en tire life I performed al most of all smaller and the largest scenes in Poland, including the Amphitheatre in Opole, the Sopot Forest Opera, Poznan Arena or Warsaw Concert Hall. But here, in Warsaw’s Praga, it was the first time ever I have felt myself surrounded by almost a physical corset of my emotions: expectations, responsibility, anxiety and curiosity. All my fears, doubts and stage frights disappeared in a second after the very first bars. Here and now… I am the performer and the audience. I surrender to the sounds. I am at the very heart of MUSIC!
A moment of awaiting in the dark in the final. And… a sudden explosion of applause. A standing ovation. Applause and bows. Joy of the performers. Joy of the audience.
Jacek Olechowski: Rock w Rok! 