New Tradition provides a platform for artists to showcase their interpretations of folk music and redefines what traditional music can represent in the modern era, blending old melodies with contemporary styles and interpretations.
Click on the audio player above, on the left, to hear an audio report by Radio Poland's Marcin Matuszewski, who interviewed Hanna Szczęśniak of Polish Radio's Centre for Folk Culture - one of the people behind "New Tradition 2024".
The festival began with Piotr Damasiewicz’s "Into The Roots" concert, a highlight following his Grand Prix win at the festival's 2022 edition. His latest album, "Świtanie," ("Dawning") produced in collaboration with the Radio Center for Folk Culture (RCFC), features innovative takes on traditional melodies.
Audiences can catch the festival events live on Polish Radio channels, the New Tradition Facebook page, the polskieradio.pl website, and the RCFC's YouTube channel.
The festival will deliver performances by the 2023 Folk Phonogram of the Year winner, Raphael Rogiński and the group Odpoczno, and the introduction of new talents through the Folk Music Competition.
On Friday, May 17th, the finalists of the Folk Music Competition take the stage, showcasing diverse acts such as Duality, SAWA, and GrandMotherJazz.
The weekend's schedule includes more competition auditions and a special concert promoting Łukasz Ojdana's album "Wandering Bird."
The festival will conclude on Sunday with performances by the competition laureates and special appearances by the groups SenJawaZabawa and the Latvian band Tautumejtas, with the final concert aired on Polish Radio One.
Explaining the ethos of the festival, Piotr Kędziorek, director of Polish Radio Two and head of RCFC, noted that "New Tradition" seeks to explore the balance between adhering to tradition and embracing artistic liberty. He highlighted that while the festival respects its roots, it also encourages artists to reinterpret traditional melodies using modern music styles such as rock, pop, or electronic.
(rt/jh)
Source: IAR