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István Lukács is a traditional musician from Gimesz (Eastern Carpathians) who plays the violin, which is typical of Chang music, with incredible virtuosity. He studied his repertoire for several years with János Zerkula, the legendary blind violinist, from whom he inherited not only his knowledge but also his way of playing the violin. Recordings: Watch the…

Dániel Bolya – flutist and flute builder, teacher, publisher. Years ago he co-founded a very good band playing chango – Zurgó, with which he toured Poland, among others. Currently, his bands are HORBA!, Bacsó and his band. Since January 2006, he has been teaching at various music schools and also plays in programmes for pre-school…

The Malisz Band is afamily band from Męcina Mała in the Beskid Niski region, formed by multi-instrumentalist and instrument builder Jan Malisz and his children: Zuzanna and Kacper. The band is inspired by the traditional rural music of its region (Beskid Niski), but also by dances and chants from various areas of Poland. The music…

The Noise Band is a family duo of seasoned artists who have been exploring the most interesting and archaic forms of European music, dance and craft for years. Creators of the Poznań Dance House (2000). Jacek and Alicja Hałas are members of the most interesting folk formations in Poland, co-creators of international artistic and theatrical…

Kazimierz Nitkiewicz – trumpeter, sound director, publisher. A graduate of the Faculty of Sound Direction at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, he is a member of the Warsaw Sentimental Orchestra. His heart belongs to traditional music from different parts of the world, especially from Poland, the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkans and Polish…

Skrzypkowie Dzielni is a Torun-based string band. They draw on archival music recorded in previous centuries, particularly Kujawy and Swedish. An important component of the ensemble’s repertoire is the raft and oryll music recorded in Oskar Kolberg’s works in the parts concerning Kuyavia. The songs, as danceable as they may be, were once performed by…

Pawel Iwan – carol singer, singer, dancer and dulcimer player. Known for his work with bands from Inna Struna, Tadirindum, KBB, Pokrzyk, Kapela Ozimkowicza, Hajda Banda/Гайда Банда and C.K. Kapela, with which he wins distinctions and awards.  He also performs as a guest with the bands Iskierczanie (Dębica), Kapela Brodów, Kapela Serhija Ochrimczuka and Krajka/Крайка…

Sergey Ohrimchuk’s band – explores and performs traditional instrumental and polyphonic music from various regions of Ukraine and Europe. At the Festival Czango will play Hutsul and Boyko melodies. The leader, Serhiy Ochrimchuk, is an accomplished violinist and singer as well as a folklore reconstructionist. He is a member of, among others, the legendary Drevo…

Júlia Skopp – movement and music teacher (BA at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna). She has been playing flutes and dancing since she was a child; she fell in love with chango dances in 2012, although she frequented the Csángó Festival in Jászberény as a child. Since then, she has participated…

Sámsondi Gergely – is a phenomenal dance musician, a non-stage performer and a pupil of village masters (including Zoltán Vak from Gimesz). He plays the violin, kobos, flutes and dulcimer. Since 1993, he has regularly organised dance houses where he performs as the leader of the Borvíz string band specialising in music from Transylvania, Seklerszczyzna…

Vajk Gyulai – plays flutes and koboz in the amateur folk bands Csenderítők and Mácsonya, with whom he regularly plays concerts and dance events. In the summer of 2023, he played with the Szőrénszálán band (led by Farkas Gyulai) and taught flute playing at our events in Kraków and Toruń (Z czango w las). Since…

Farkas Gyulai – violinist, singer, dancer, also plays the koboz, gardon, flutes and, most importantly, is able to teach all this in a very natural and gentle way. Co-founder of the band Szépszerével (2012), founder of the band Szőrénszálán (2023), with whom he often visits Poland. Sympathy for Poland and Poles has also translated into…

Olena Gaidychuk – cultorologist, conductor, bandleader, folklorist, music therapist, teacher of music, rhythmics, voice emission and piano.  Graduate of the Music Academy in Kiev. She is a soloist of the state choir “Khreshchatyk” in Kiev, a soloist of the ensembles “Ukrainian Hearts” and “Slavik Folk Orchestra” in Torun, a trainer of vocal-yoga, singing and music…

Marta Domachowska – ethnologist, researcher of Polish folk culture, pupil of rural singers, dancers and musicians. She explores, practices and popularises Polish musical traditions in crudo. Among other things, she conducts original dance workshops, singing meetings, family musical events and workshops of traditional children’s games for educators and animators. Since 2011, she has been working…