Vołosi (Poland)

Krzysztof Lasoń, Stanisław Lasoń, Robert Waszut, Jan Kaczmarzyk, Piotr Szczotka

The Polish string ensemble Vołosi is one of the most original groups on the contemporary European music scene. “An exuberant, original band!” wrote The Guardian – while the BBC praised the ensemble for music that “transcends boundaries”.

The story of the string quintet began at an unusual intersection of two musical worlds – a chance meeting in the heart of the Beskid Mountains between self-taught virtuosos of Carpathian folk music and classically trained musicians from Silesia. The encounter gave rise to a frenzied improvisational session that would shape the ensemble’s distinctive musical language. Marked by this diversity, their style embraces everything from the beauty of enigmatic melodies to fierce, surging dynamics.

Bringing together two violinists, a violist, a cellist, and a double bassist, the ensemble’s entirely instrumental performances reveal a rich and deeply expressive repertoire infused with elements of classical, film, and ambient music, Balkan rhythms, and contemporary improvisation.

Shortly after its formation, word of the group’s virtuosity spread internationally. The ensemble made an immediate impact, winning a prestigious award at Nowa Tradycja, one of Poland’s most influential contemporary folk music festivals. Today, with more than nine hundred concerts at prestigious festivals and concert venues across Europe, Asia, and the United States behind them, the musicians have established collaborations with internationally renowned artists and orchestras alike.

Vołosi are renowned for their captivating stage presence and direct connection with the audience. Far more than a conventional musical performance, their concerts unfold as an intense, dynamic, and deeply emotional experience marked by extraordinary virtuosity.