Stories and Songs of Poland

Date: Friday, October 26th, 2012
Time: 7:00 PM – Tea, coffee, and small snacks will be offered
Place: MacRobert Building, University of Aberdeen
Free, non-ticketed – All are welcome
Hosted by the Elphinstone Institute
Generously funded by the Scottish Storytelling Centre

Come join us for an exciting evening of Polish storytelling in Old Aberdeen. Two of Poland’s most celebrated storytellers, Małgorzata Litwinowicz and Michal Malinowski, will be telling traditional stories from Poland and other countries. Scottish storyteller Grace Banks will also be in attendance, and has promised to tell a tale or two. Stories will be told in English, with the odd exception being translated afterwards. These tales are universal, so we hope to see an audience from all reaches of the world.

This promises to be an unforgettable way to spend an autumn evening. The venue is quite large, so be sure to spread the word and bring your family and friends!

Read more about our guests below:

Photo by Bartek Sawka

Małgorzata Litwinowicz has been an artistic director of the renowned Warsaw International Storytelling Festival since 2006, and tells stories from many places and times. As she says though, her ‘special favourites are Polish and Lithuanian traditional stories and songs and ballads: of magical creatures, talking trees, singing snakes’. This will be her first time performing in Aberdeen, and we are very excited to welcome her to the Granite City.

Photo provided by Michal Malinowski

Michal Malinowski is the director of the groundbreaking Storyteller Museum in Poland, and has told stories in Scotland, England, Spain, France, Italy, Burkina Faso, Canada, Syria and Iran. In 2006, he was awarded a special prize by the Polish Minister of Culture for his contribution to the preservation and development of culture. He is the co-author, with Anne Pellowski, of the book Polish Folktales and Folklore, which received the Aesop Accolade of the American Folklore Association. Last year, he regaled audience members in Aberdeen, and we are sure he will do so again this October.

‘Polish-Scottish Singing Workshop’
Date: Sunday, September 30th, 2012
Time: 6:00-8:00 PM
Place: MacRobert Building, University of Aberdeen

Join us for the first singing workshop of the new term. As always, the workshop will be led by Grace Banks, and tea and coffee will be provided.

Past Events

The Elphinstone Institute has organized and hosted many such events in the past year in the context of the Polish-Scottish Singing Workshops:
‘Polish and Scottish Mini Festival’
June 17th, 2012

Photo by Grzegorz Ksiazek

Photo by Przemek Zuziak

A wonderful time was had by all at the Blue Lamp for this unique mini festival. Hungry festival-goers were fed delicious home-cooked Polish food throughout the evening. ‘Danse McCabre Ceilidh’ Band led the dancing and the Polish-Scottish Singing Workshop sang songs they had been rehearsing for months.

Photo by Grzegorz Ksiazek

Photo by Ian Russell

‘Polish Poet Andrzej Grabowski’

June 10th, 2012

Accomplished Polish poet Andrzej Grabowski came to Aberdeen to share some of his beautiful poems. His skilful reading delighted the audience and created new fans of his work.

Photo by Ian Russell

‘Little Collection of Polish Folk Art and Craft’
May 13th, 2012

Anna Sznajder presented a small exhibition about hand-crafted items from southern Poland, featuring bobbin lacemaking techniques from Southern Poland (Bobowa), lace angels, blotting paper flowers, wooden toys and clay decorated items. Anna Sznajder is undertaking research at the University of the West of Scotland for a PhD about the symbolic economy of craft (with a case study of Polish rural lace-makers).

Photo by Anna Sznajder

Photo by Norma Russell

‘Polish Storyteller Michal Malinowski’
March 3rd, 2012

Michal Malinowski enthralled the audience with tales of all kinds from Poland. He will be returning on October 26th, 2012 – see above.

Page last updated: Thursday, 06-Sep-2012 13:10:10 BST

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Stories & Songs of Poland

Past Events