About

Karolina Węgrzyn is a visual artist and a folk musician based in South Staffordshire, UK. Born on the South-East of Poland, where she received education in both classical music and fine art, she was also raised in a small village where traditional customs and folklore are still well and alive.

Karolina began studying piano at the National Music School in Jaroslaw, PL at the age of 6. After 9 years she went to the College of Visual Arts and graduated in Graphic Arts. Her awards include a bursary from the Polish Ministry of Culture and Heritage, Grand Prix award at the Rzeszów Institute of National History and a bronze medal from Polish Photographic Society. In 2021 she took a third prize at one of the most important Folk Festivals in Poland, The True Musician's Tournament in Szczecin. Since then she's been taking part in accomplished artist Tereza Buskova's street performances based on Czech traditions, as well as performing at Symphony Hall in Birmingham

In Subcarpathian countryside people are very proud and impulsive, perhaps that is why their folk traditions are still alive. Music is loud and cheerful, therefore dancing traditions are also strong, especially during festivities, such as harvest celebrations, Christmas and New Year’s carnival. Since very little Karolina used to dress up in traditional costumes and perform traditional winter “Herody” display with such characters like King Herod, death, devil and the three kings. Today, she regularly visits elderly citizens of her native region to record and collect old folk songs.

Karolina learned the ancient technique of singing, called “white voice” while participating in many traditional music workshops, i.e. OVO Foundation; Borderland Music (Muzyka Kresów) or Summer School of Traditional Music in Lublin. She taught herself to play accordion and hammered dulcimer and since performs regularly between Poland and United Kingdom.