Maria Ka: Di shaykhesn די שײַכותן (The Connections)
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Maria Ka’s solo concert is a unique event—immersed in new artistic means, demonstrating a contemporary, innovative face of Yiddish music. During the concert, we will listen to original songs written by the artist as well as to traditional Jewish songs adapted—as is usually the case with Maria Ka’s performances—to a female perspective.
- 11 August 2024, 8PM
- Free admission, book a free ticket →
The artist will take you on an electro-alternative journey with elements of tradition, touching upon current social issues as well as issues concerning multiple identities. The story will be told in Yiddish, a language present in Poland for many centuries—this time, however, adopting a modern form in Maria’s music. The artist uses Yiddish as a living, contemporary, relevant language embedded in today’s reality.
During the concert, we will listen to the songs "Krankheyt קראַנקהייט" and "Ven es regnt ווען עס רעגנט," both awarded Audience Winner Prize during the Bubbe Awards contest organized by the Instituto da Música Judaica Brasil, as well as the remaining songs from Maria’s music albums: "Di arumike velt די אַרומיקע וועלט" and the audio-visual eponymous "Di shaykhesn די שײַכותן."
The first of the above-mentioned albums was written during the COVID-19 pandemic, its various aspects heavily affecting its tone. In the Polish context, its creation coincided with the mass Black Protest—women’s strikes against the legislation tightening abortion law in Poland. The Black Protest atmosphere inspired some of the tracks, especially the song titled "(I) ShaWoman אשה – פֿרוי."
The second album is a multilingual project inspired by the question of multiple identities. Maria wrote it in three languages—Yiddish, Polish and English— interwoven in the songs’ structure. Each song is accompanied by a music video and a visual persona created by the artist in the project’s visual layer.
Aside from original songs written by Maria Ka, the concert will also feature many Jewish traditional tunes, rendered contemporary both with regard to music and lyrics, e.g. "Dzhankoye דזשאַנקויע," "Di mizinke די מיזינקע," "Mayn shtetele Belz מײַן שטעטעלע בעלז" and many more.
The material will be performed by Maria Ka using her voice and her standard instruments: a keyboard, electronic looper and vocal effects.
The concert accompanies Maria Ka’s multimedia installation at the Rotating Gallery—a lively, polyphonic space in the last gallery of the POLIN Core Exhibition whose aim is to make the voices of Jewish artists heard; a space for Jewish artists to express themselves. More information about the "Universum דער אוניווערס" installation →
Maria Ka is a lyricist, composer, vocalist, and pianist who creates original Yiddish music. She is a three-time audience award winner at the ‘Bubbe Awards’ contest in Brazil. Her work fuses Yiddish with alternative, electro, punk, and electropop genres. Maria integrates women’s stories and perspectives into the main historical narrative. She has performed at major Jewish culture festivals in Poland and worldwide. Her albums were reviewed in, i.a., "The Times of Israel," "The Forward" and "Tablet."
Read more about Rotating Gallery →
Partners:
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage – project: "Rotating Gallery as part of POLIN Museum’s 10th birthday celebration (developing a network of Jewish artists)."
