Exploring Eastern Roots of European Music: Insights from a Polish Researcher at TNC Meeting
Polish Researcher of Ancient Music Visits Turkmen National Conservatory
The Turkmen National Conservatory, named after Maya Kulieva, recently hosted a meeting with the renowned Polish researcher of ancient music, Marcin Wladyslaw Szczycinski. Szczycinski is not only a countertenor singer, but also an expert and promoter of historical singing. He is the founder of the Bornus Consort ensemble and a cantor of traditional singing.
During the conference, Szczycinski presented a lecture to teachers and students of the conservatory on the topic of “Eastern roots of European music.” He spoke about the oral traditions of song art and compared Eastern and European music traditions, highlighting the integrity of Eastern musical traditions.
Using an interactive board, Szczycinski demonstrated ancient music manuscripts of European chants and polyphonic music from the early Middle Ages. He also performed these ancient chants and provided electronic recordings for the audience.
Szczycinski, who visited Turkmenistan 21 years ago, noted the common elements in the performance of folk melodies in European musical culture and traditional Turkmen music. He emphasized the parallels between the performance of oriental melodies and European polyphonic music.
Students of the conservatory also got the chance to showcase their talents by performing Turkmen folk music in solo performances. The meeting also included an exhibition at the Conservatory Museum named after Maya Kulieva and concluded with the guests receiving electronic recordings of Turkmen folk songs and melodies, as well as a photo album about folklore expeditions organized by TNC.
The meeting was organized by the Vatican Embassy in Turkmenistan, the Apostolic Nunciature, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, and with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan.
Overall, the meeting was a successful exchange of ideas and cultural experiences, further enriching the international cooperation in the field of music research and performance.
