The Villa Decius Association, in 2014 participated in the celebrations of the Year of Oskar Kolberg, which was announced in relation to the 200th anniversary of his birth. Throughout the year, Kolberg’s precursory research on domestic culture, as well as accomplishments in the field of ethnography and art were presented with the use of various events.
The premise of the project prepared by the Villa Decius Association under the name “Oskar Kolberg’s Heritage” was an international promotion of scientific, documentary and creative accomplishments of the outstanding Polish researcher of domestic culture, collector of artifacts and music ethnographer, as well as composer and one of the first experts on Chopin’s music – Oskar Kolberg.
Events:
- Exhibition of posters from the collection of Krzysztof Dydo (Galeria Dydo Poster Collection) promoting Polish folklore in the country and abroad and popularizing folk and artistic handicraft and the art industry.
- Champion workshops of Polish dance were addressed to professionals, members of dance and ballet ensembles. Selection of dances and programme of the workshops were based on ethnographic and folklore materials and dance forms from various regions of Poland, described in the works of Oskar Kolberg and catalogued in the archives of traditional 19th century dances.
- Music programmes were addressed to teachers and pupils of schools located in places whose musical heritage and traditional texts were described and documented in Kolberg’s work. The choice of addressees is aimed at transferring knowledge about the traditions of the region and attracting attention to the values and, at the same time, the universality of the local cultural heritage. The programmes were attended by pupils of Stanisław Kostka Primary School and Oskar Kolberg Middle School in Modlnica, as well as Primary School in Wola Filipowska.
- What is more, the aspect of Kolberg as an expert on Chopin’s music and a composer was also developed via the rendering of selected piano compositions of the ethnographer by pianists. Two music programmes of diverse nature were prepared: the first one contained Kolberg’s dance forms and the dance compositions of Frederick Chopin corresponding to them, which provided some inspiration for Kolberg; the second one was presenting Kolberg’s accomplishments with respect to geography and ethnography – this will be a combination of the pieces of Kolberg and compositions of other contemporary composers.
