The ‘Early Music in Jarosław’ Association was founded on 6th February 1995. It is mainly made up of young people. The impulse for founding the Association was the moving of the ‘Song of Our Roots’ Festival from Stary Sącz to Jarosław.
The aim of the Association is to promote lifestyle based on tradition by reflecting upon it, conducting fieldwork, documenting it and publishing research results as well as actively practicing it.
We draw inspiration mostly from glory days of Jarosław, during which famous fairs were held, making the city the crossroads of cultures: East and West, South and North; the city of wealth and vibrant cultural life.
Material evidence of those times exists in Jarosław until this moment – as unique architecture of townhouses, several convents, two orthodox churches and a synagogue, as well as preserved in a form of street names such as ‘Tartar’, ‘Armenian’ or ‘Hungarian’.
As to the spiritual heritage of those days, we try to relate to it in our projects.
In our cultural activity we primarily focus on music, organising workshops, courses and concerts throughout the year. The culmination of these efforts is International Early Music ‘Song of Our Roots’ Festival held annually.
Thanks to long-standing contacts with finest artists performing worldwide, we hope to make Jarosław a significant European centre for studying and practise of early and traditional music. In collaboration with Jarosław’s convents we try to explore the liturgical tradition of Roman Church, simultaneously considering eastern motifs in local traditional culture.
Last but not least, we publish and popularize works on the musical tradition of Polish Subcarpathia.