When the older part of the artists of Kuźnia Tradycji participated in the Festival “Sabałowe Bajania” in Bukowina Tatrzańska, Jagoda Pawlak, Fryderyk Jankowski and Wojciech Ozóg went to the International Festival “Zagajduj Gajdosko” taking place in the city of Nitra in Slovakia. The musicians of the Provincial Public Library and the Cultural Animation Center in Poznań, together with performers from four countries, presented the unique art of playing bagpipes inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The aim of the festival was to familiarize the audience with aspects of bagpipe culture in Slovakia – not only with the musical instrument itself, but also with all forms of cultural expression and knowledge related to the production of these unique instruments. For three days, the participants could learn about regional differences in the game, clothes and repertoire of artists. On the first day, the musicians took part in integration meetings and the official representation of bands during which they performed together with Kapela Dudziarska Sokoły from Kościan. The young musicians of Forge Tradition were very kindly received by the local audience. On the next day, artists from Wielkopolska presented themselves during the evening gala with teams from Croatia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The event was also accompanied by handicraft exhibitions and tasting local dishes.

Slovakia, as usual, turned out to be friendly and cordial to artists who, thanks to international meetings, broadened their musical knowledge and made new friends.

PZ