In September, world music returns for the 8th time to Warsaw’s city center. This year’s theme for the Cross Culture Festival (Warszawski Festiwal Skrzyżowanie Kultur in Polish) is: ‘Inspirations: The Orient’. The Polish capital will host artists from eleven countries, presenting fascinating cultures from the East, from Central Asia to the Far East. Cross Culture Festival will take place between September 23 and 29, 2012.
The event with different expressions of Asia will be completed by a special film program, prepared for the first time in collaboration with Planete Doc Film Festival.
Direction: Asia
During seven days, the festival tent will stand in the center of Warsaw, by the Palace of Culture and Science. Some of the most famous and renowned musicians from the East will perform there. At the invitation from Stołeczna Estrada, the star ensemble of the festival in 2012 will include artists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and Syria.
“We will welcome excellent vocalists, virtuosos of traditional instruments, soloists, as well as groups of dancers, singers and musicians,” says the press release. “Among them three cross-generation concerts: Alim Qasimov and his daughter Fargana will perform mughams – classical songs of Azerbaijan, Jivan Gasparyan and his grandson Jivan Junior will present the power of Armenia’s duduk. The group Ayarkhaan from Yakutia, Russia – Albina Degtyareva and her twin daughters will sing songs calling upon natural powers and play khomus.”
The artists invited are living legends and ambassadors of their cultures. In their art, they refer to popular customs, rites, beliefs and mystic. Cultivating the centuries-old traditions, the musicians look after the identity of their regions and communities, revive it and save it from extinction, while at the same time searching for new forms and sounds for it. Inspirations: The Orient is an encounter with real Asia, rooted in tradition but going through significant changes.
Concert Program – September 2012
Day 1 – Sunday 23/09, 19:00 – The Legends of the East: Mugham and Duduk
Palace of Culture and Science – Festival Tent near PKiN
Alim Qasimov – Azerbaijan
Jivan Gasparyan – Armenia
Day 2 – Monday 24/09, 19:00 – Awakened voices of Asia
Palace of Culture and Science – Festival Tent near PKiN
Ayarkhaan/Yakutia – Russia
Rustavi- Georgia
Day 3 – Tuesday 25/09, 19:00 – The energy of Orient
Palace of Culture and Science – Festival tent near PKiN
Al Kindi Ensemble – Syria
Day 4 – Wednesday 26/09, 19:00 – Tales of the Tiger
Palace of Culture and Science – Festival tent near PKiN
Ahn Sook-sun – South Korea
Ondekoza – Japan
Day 5 – Thursday 27/09, 19:00 – Sum of Tradition
Palace of Culture and Science – Festival tent near PKiN
Masters of the Workshops concert – Aleksey Arkhipovskiy – Russia
Day 6 – Friday 28/09, 19:00 – Temples of the Sound
Palace of Culture and Science – Festival Tent near PKiN
Titi Robin – France/India/Morocco/Turkey)
Raza Khan – India
Plenete+ Doc Film Festival – program – September 2012
Monday, 24th September
The Two Horses of Genghis Khan
Directed by Byambasuren Davaa
Germany 2009
Tuesday, 25th September
Hanami – Cherry Blossoms
Directed by Doris Dörrie
Germany, 2008
Wednesday, 26th September
Beyond Grace
Directed by Sara Baur- Harding
United States/India, 2011
Thursday, 27th September
Hair India
Directed by Raffaele Brunetti and Marco Leopardi
Germany/France 2008
28th September
Boubacar Traore: I’ll Sing For You
Directed by Jacques Sarasin
Mali/France, 2001
more information at http://www.festival.warszawa.pl
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
