Projekt Arboretum
the world of hybrid music
Projekt Arboretum
Kiedy przebije się źrodło
Projekt Arboretum
Z tamtej strony jeziorecka
Projekt Arboretum
Tańczące drzewa
OUR HISTORY
ABOUT PROJEKT ARBORETUM
„This tree, as well as the name, has many meanings: it is about the roots, history, genealogy, nature, and all of that will find its reflection in music. We cannot live without trees …”
– Ola Turkiewicz –
Projekt Arboretum (The Arboretum Project) – is an oral and musical performance realized annually at the turn of July and August, in the amphitheater by Lake Czos in Mrągowo. Projekt Arboretum fits the formula of high culture, contemporary music concert and the event inspired by indigenous music. The characteristic feature of the project is the original artist’s style of hybrid music, which in this case combines the traditional folk songs into a coherent whole with different musical genres, for example: jazz, rock, ethno, electronic and classical music, sung poetry, as well as archival and nature sounds – all used as parts of the composition. The music is accompanied by a poetic-fairy-tale narration, presenting musical works with the background of narrated stories describing the life, culture and rituals of the inhabitants of rural areas of the former and present Republic of Poland. Work on this project began in 2013 and it combines the involvement of both the Polish-Canadian jazz vocalist Ola Turkiewicz and the screenwriter and music producer Jacek „Wiejski” Górski. They are also the creators of the Independence Concert, performed since 2009 at the Warsaw Uprising Museum, at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, at Westerplatte and in Canada. The organizers of Projekt Arboretum are the Polish Heritage Foundation and the City of Mrągowo. Projekt Arboretum is covered by the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Projekt Arboretum is also a music formation of session musicians founded by Ola Turkiewicz, which has involved musicians from Poland, Canada, Ukraine and Mexico.
OUR MUSIC
THE FORM AND THE CONTENT
The aim of the project is to present ethnic and folk music in modern instrumental arrangements, which allow it to appear in the broadly understood musical trend, defined by the creators as hybrid music. Projekt Arboretum (The Arboretum Project) is inspired by cultural and ethnic legacy as well as by the landscape and nature heritage of rural areas of the former and present Republic of Poland. The project also refers to ecology and sustainable development. The material that has been arranged since 2013 includes more than 30 Polish ancient songs of Masuria, Varmia, Kurpie and Podolia, as well as contemporary compositions inspired by the theme of the concerts. The works are performed by incorporating the remnants of Masuria, Varmia, Kurpie and Podolia dialects. The ancient languages of Prussians and Yotvingians are also being restored there. The repertoire presents the poetic works of prominent Polish poets of the 19th and 20th century as well as the anonymous poems by folk artists. Projekt Arboretum is an oral and musical performance, in which the musical pieces are preceded by a poetic-fairy-tale narration, depicting the customs and culture of the inhabitants of old-time villages as well as their legends and beliefs.
Concerts are accompanied by open social events such as Arboretum About the World (“Arboretum o świecie”) in which participants were singing together the ethnic songs at sunrise time over Lake Czos or a hoedown (“Potańcówka Ludowa”).
ARTISTS
TEAM OF PROJEKT ARBORETUM
Projekt Arboretum (The Arboretum Project) is co-created by Ola Turkiewicz (artistic director, vocal) and Jacek „Wiejski” Górski (screenwriter, director and producer). The narratives were led by Wojciech Malajkat (2014-2015) and Katarzyna Enerlich (2016). The previous editions of the project were cast by Adam Strug (vocal), Justyna Czerwińska (vocal) and vocal group “Dziczka” (Tetiana Sopiłka, Justyna Czerwińska, Maria Puzyna, Agata Wróbel). The instrumentalists accompanying the soloists included among others: Wojciech Hartman (violin), Marcin Riege (piano), Krzysztof Kowalewski (guitar), Marcin Ritter (bass, double bass), Paweł Janiszewski (accordion), Paweł Jabłoński (accordion), Paweł Iwaszkiewicz (flutes) ), Jarosław Żeliński (flutes), Tomas Celis Sanchez (percussion instruments), Bogusz Wekka (percussion instruments), Grzegorz Poliszak (drums), Przemek Kuczyński (percussion) Radosław Bolewski (drums). Within the framework of Projekt Arboretum there is also an organized folk hoedown (Potańcówka Ludowa), taking place along with traditional dance workshops run by the bands of Tęgie Chłopy (2016) and Janusz Prusinowski Kompania (2017). In total, over 30 artists have taken part so far in realisation of Projekt Arboretum.
Ola Turkiewicz
Co-creator, artistic director, vocal
Jacek "Wiejski" Górski
Co-creator, screenwriter, director, producer
All artist
Artists who took part in Projekt Arboretum
Special guests
Special guest stars who appeared on the project
CONCERTS
EDITIONS OF PROJEKT ARBORETUM
Performances of Projekt Arboretum (The Arboretum Project)
- I Projekt Arboretum „Kurpie and Podolia”, August 10, 2014, Amphitheater in Mrągowo
- II Projekt Arboretum „Kurpie and Masuria”, August 9, 2015, Amphitheater in Mrągowo
- III Projekt Arboretum „Varmia and Masuria”, July 16, 2016, Amphitheater in Mrągowo
- IV Projekt Arboretum „Yotvingia, Varmia and Masuria”, July 23, 2017, Amphitheater in Mrągowo
- V Projekt Arboretum „Wooden Mating”, August 4, 2018, Amphitheater in Mrągowo
Special editions of Projekt Arboretum
- Projekt Arboretum during the International Language Diversity Week, Fort Sokolnickiego in Warsaw
- Projekt Arboretum“Masuria and Podolia”, May 6, 2018, XVI International Jazz Festival, „Flugery L’vova”, Market Square in Lviv
Discography
- Projekt Arboretum, „Mazurÿ, Warnijoki, Jaćwięgi, Prūsai” (2017), © Fundacja Dziedzictwa Rzeczypospolitej (National Heritage Foundation of the Republic of Poland)
