Interview with Karolina Beimcik/Interview with Karolina Beimcik/Entrevista com Karolina Beimcik


ENG

 “Karolina Beimcik is a multidimensional and ever-seeking artist — she brings together the worlds of jazz, traditional music, and social-philosophical reflection. She crosses the boundaries of genres and arts, cultures and countries, building her own subtle artistic language. Her remarkable versatility reveals her interdisciplinary spirit and profound approach to music.” — Jazz Forum Magazine, October 2025


Her work blends Slavic folk roots with jazz improvisation and contemporary soundscapes, exploring themes of memory, migration, and belonging.


Author of two albums (Noons [2024], Zorya [2018]), co-producer and creator of many music projects. Vocal consultant at Berklee College of Music - Global Music Institute. She holds a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in New York and Cultural Studies from the Adam Mickiewicz University in PoznaƄ.


She performed at many festivals around the world, including: Expo 2025 (Osaka), International Jazz Perth Festival (Perth), Euro Jazz Festival (Mexico), The International Chopin & Friends Festival, Zacatecas Cultural Festival (Mexico), Cuernevaca Jazz Festival (Mexico)The Transitions Festival (New York), International Chopin and Friends Festival (New York), Jazz Bez Festival (Ukraine), International Festival Flugery L'vova (Ukraine), Art Jazz Cooperation Festival (Ukraine), Cosmopolite Jazz Festival (Ukraine), New Tradition Festiva (Poland), Jazz na Kresach (Polska), Unesco Heritage (Polska).


1. Each of us involved in music and art has had a moment in our lives that decided or influenced us to start doing what we do. What was that moment in your life?


I can't pinpoint a single moment that changed everything – my musical path was intertwined

with many seemingly unrelated events. I remember that as a child, when I first picked up the violin, the world seemed a bit different – ​​as if I had the opportunity to speak a language that understood not only the mind, but also the body and emotions. I had been singing from a young age, but it was the violin that allowed me to experience sound physically, even in an intimate way. Classical music education gave me discipline and structure, but for a long time it limited the way I thought about music – I treated it as a set of rules to be followed. It wasn't until I started improvising and encountered jazz that I felt that music could become a space for self-discovery and open dialogue with others. I remember one improvisation with a musician I met by chance in a small studio – we didn't agree on anything, and the music "talked" between us. This experience showed me that music isn't just written notes – it's breathing simultaneously, sharing a moment that lasts only here and now. Traveling brought an even deeper dimension to this. I went to India for the first time and encountered music that doesn't obey Western logic of harmony, but lives with the rhythm of the body, ritual, and the energy of the place. It was like entering another world – not only musical, but also spiritual. Sound ceased to be just melody; it became prayer, conversation, a way to be present with oneself and others. For me, music has always been connected to literature, poetry, and philosophy. They taught me that sound is not just melody – it's the way the world speaks to us and through us, a means of interpreting reality and nonverbal communication.


If I were to pinpoint the moment that most motivated me to pursue this path, it would be the encounters with the people I collaborated with. Musicians, teachers, friends – those who shared sound and silence with me – gave me the feeling that when I sing or play, everything

calms down and fills with peace, and at the same time, I can express something intangible,

which is difficult to express in words. Thanks to them, I believed that music can be not only a profession or passion, but also a place where I find myself and closeness with others.


2. How has your relationship with your instrument developed over the years? I'm referring to your voice, but also to the instrument you consider your own voice – the violin.


My voice has always been a natural path for me – something that emerges on its own, like breathing. Over time, I relearned it – how it connects with the body, tension, fatigue. The voice is not just a sound, but a whole place where one can wander, search, and allow oneself to be imperfect. Sometimes it becomes almost transparent, sometimes pulsates with intensity. However, it always adapts to the story I want to tell.


The violin was more demanding. For years, I felt it imposed structure and precision – reminded me of the discipline of traditional music education. There was a moment when I no longer knew why I needed it. Only after spending many months in India did I realize

that I could use it differently – not as a tool for reproducing form, but as an extension of the voice, a second voice that I could carry as freely as a melody in conversation. This experience was groundbreaking – I discovered that the instrument can live with me, mature, and breathe depending on who I am here and now.


My relationship with the voice – both human and instrumental – became a journey in search of home. Not only in the literal sense, but also metaphorically: the moments, memories, sounds, and relationships that shape us. Home is also a creative process: the exchange of energy with the audience, working together on pieces, spontaneous improvisations that exist only for a few seconds and will never be repeated. These shape my relationship with the instruments and teach me to listen – and to let the instruments listen to me.


3. How important is it to you to explore new musical areas to enrich your own musical language? Music is constant change – something that constantly expands if allowed to lead

into the unknown, and that develops with us. Every new experience: contact with a different tradition, improvising with an unfamiliar instrument, learning new vocal techniques, or observing the way others build a phrase, broadens my musical language. It gives me a different perspective, a sense of time and rhythm, and allows me to reveal details that emerge only when I slow down or allow myself to take risks. The most vivid for me is always the boundary – the moment when something inside me hesitates, doesn't

understand, doesn't know. That's where curiosity is born. My trips to India were groundbreaking in this regard – they opened me up to sound systems outside European harmony and changed the relationship with time: sound can last longer, silence takes on a different temperature, and emotion doesn't have to be immediately closed. This experience taught me that music is a process, not a point; a path, not a destination. Collaborating with musicians playing traditional instruments showed that music has no boundaries—it's a landscape, a river, where different intuitions intertwine into a single language. I am inspired by various sources: jazz for its courage, folk music for its grounding in the body and collective memory, classical for its precision of form, experimental approaches for its freedom and risk. Each genre opens up a different part of me. My two albums are very different. The first reinterpreted Polish songs—it was rooted in tradition, memory, and shared heritage. The second, Noons, arose from curiosity and a desire to discover new narratives, harmonies, and melodies – opening doors to the world, moving away from the known towards what is only emerging. Writing in Polish in complex harmonic structures required that the words not only carry meaning but also resonate with the music and

retain their timbre. Exploring language became as important as exploring sound – words and melody breathe a shared rhythm. For me, exploring new areas is not only artistic development but also a gesture of opening my imagination and the awareness that music is greater than any style, tradition, or system – alive, pulsating, and ready to reveal itself at any moment, if only I allow myself to truly listen.

4. Together or apart? How do you like working alone and with others? Working alone gives you time to explore, search for new means of expression, and delve into the lyrics, harmony, and structure. It's like sketching in silence before a finished painting appears –

a moment when I can listen to what's just emerging. Solitude allows me to be raw and

honest, to listen to the impulses of intuition and the emotions I want to transform into sound.

At the same time, music is an encounter for me. Collaboration opens doors that I wouldn't notice in solitude. Improvisation becomes a dialogue: our imaginations intertwine in real time, every gesture is a response, every sound a suggestion. This makes the encounter more complete, and the music more human. I need both of these dimensions – solitude, which allows me to go deeper into myself, and collaboration, which allows me to go beyond myself. Bell hooks' words perfectly capture this:


"Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with


others without using them as a means of escape."

Solitude teaches me how to truly be with others – how to listen, respond, and not

use playing together to escape from myself.

5. You toured Australia last year. How did that stay affect you, and how do such trips affect you in general?

Travel brings something new to my work – not only sound, but also a way of perceiving

time, the rhythm of the day, and the creative process. Each place teaches a different pace, mindfulness, and breathing. For me, Australia was full of light, a different dynamic of the day, and the warmth of the people. I felt that time flows more freely there, which influenced my way of conducting concerts and improvising. One of the most fascinating elements of the tour was the audience's reception of the Polish language: Poles

living in Australia, Australians unfamiliar with Polish, and people of Polish descent

all experienced the music in different ways.

I remember a concert at Local Edition in Sydney, where the majority of the audience were

Australians. After the performance, they approached me and said that the Polish language acted as a separate instrument – ​​it carried emotion, rhythm, and tone regardless of the meaning of the words. I believe that emotions and vocal delivery sometimes have more power than a literal understanding of the lyrics. Allowing oneself to

intuitively perceive music is liberating and opens the way to a true experience of sound.

Australia will return to my life in March 2026 – I'm touring there again to continue the musical and human exchange that so deeply influenced me during my first visit.


6. Future plans?


I'm currently focusing on two major projects. The first is preparations for a concert tour

in Australia in March 2026 – an opportunity to reconnect with local audiences and develop

musical dialogues with Indian musicians, discovering new sounds and combining different traditions. The second project is work on the album Rise and Fall. It's a story in sound, where music merges with visualization. Artist parizad d is responsible for the visuals – she scans fossils, creates X-rays of plants, and uses AI to design enlarged, abstract images.

The visualizations become an integral part of the album, giving the music an additional narrative layer and allowing the listener to immerse themselves in a multidisciplinary experience. In addition, I am developing Vocal Landscapes workshops, which allow participants to find their own voice and the freedom to express themselves through sound and body. This is a crucial element of my work – not only sharing music, but also creating an environment in which others can discover their musical language and experience it fully.






PL

„Karolina Beimcik to artystka wielowymiarowa i nieustannie poszukująca – zestawia ze sobą ƛwiaty jazzu, muzyki tradycyjnej oraz spoƂeczno-filozoficznej refleksji. Przekracza granice gatunkĂłw i sztuk, kultur i krajĂłw, budując swĂłj wƂasny, subtelny język artystyczny. Tworzy niezwykƂe projekty, ktĂłre ukazują jej interdyscyplinarnoƛć i gƂębokie podejƛcie do muzyki.” — Jazz Forum Magazine, paĆșdziernik 2025

Jej twĂłrczoƛć Ƃączy sƂowiaƄskie korzenie muzyki ludowej z jazzową improwizacją i wspóƂczesnym brzmieniem, podejmując tematy pamięci, migracji i przynaleĆŒnoƛci.

Autorka dwóch albumów (Noons [2024], Zorya [2018]), wspóƂproducentka i realizatorka wielu projektów muzycznych. WykƂadowca Berklee College of Music - Global Music Institute. Absolwentka Aaron Copland School of Music w Queens College w Nowym Jorku i kulturoznawstwa na poznaƄskim Uniwersytecie im. Adama Mickiewicza.

KoncertowaƂa na wielu festiwalach, m.in.: Expo 2025 (Osaka), The International Jazz Perth Festival 2024 (Perth), The International Chopin & Friends Festival (Nowy Jork), The Transitions Festival (Nowy Jork), Euro Jazz Festival (Meksyk), Zacatecas Cultural Festival (Meksyk), Cuernevaca Jazz Festival (Meksyk), Jazz Bez Festival (Ukraina), International Festival Flugery L'vova (Ukraina), Art Jazz Cooperation Festival (Ukraine), Cosmopolite Jazz Festival (Ukraina), Nowa Tradycja (Polska), Niemen Non Stop (Polska), Jazz na Kresach (Polska), Unesco Heritage (Polska).

1. KaĆŒda/y z nas, kto zajmuje się muzyką i sztuką, miaƂ pewien moment w ĆŒyciu, ktĂłry

zdecydowaƂ o tym, lub wpƂynąƂ na to, ĆŒe zaczęliƛmy robić to, co robimy. Co byƂo takim

momentem w Twoim ĆŒyciu?

Nie potrafię wskazać jednej chwili, ktĂłra zmieniƂa wszystko – moja droga muzyczna splataƂa się z wieloma wydarzeniami, ktĂłre na pozĂłr nie miaƂy ze sobą związku. Pamiętam, ĆŒe jako dziecko, kiedy pierwszy raz chwyciƂam skrzypce, ƛwiat wydawaƂ mi się trochę inny – jakby pojawiƂa się moĆŒliwoƛć mĂłwienia językiem, ktĂłry rozumie nie tylko umysƂ, ale teĆŒ ciaƂo i emocje. ÚpiewaƂam od najmƂodszych lat, ale dopiero skrzypce pozwoliƂy mi doƛwiadczać dĆșwięku w sposĂłb fizyczny, wręcz intymny.

Klasyczna edukacja muzyczna daƂa mi dyscyplinę i strukturę, ale dƂugo ograniczaƂa sposĂłb, w jaki myƛlaƂam o muzyce – traktowaƂam ją jak zestaw zasad do wypeƂnienia. Dopiero kiedy zaczęƂam improwizować i zetknęƂam się z jazzem, poczuƂam, ĆŒe muzyka moĆŒe stać się przestrzenią do odkrywania siebie i prowadzenia otwartego dialogu z innymi. Pamiętam jedną improwizację z muzykiem, ktĂłrego spotkaƂam przypadkiem w maƂym studio – nie ustalaliƛmy nic, a muzyka „rozmawiaƂa” między nami. To doƛwiadczenie pokazaƂo mi, ĆŒe muzyka to nie tylko zapisane nuty – to oddychanie w tym samym czasie, dzielenie się chwilą, ktĂłra trwa tylko tu i teraz.

PodrĂłĆŒe wniosƂy w to jeszcze gƂębszy wymiar. Pierwszy raz pojechaƂam do Indii i zetknęƂam się z muzyką, ktĂłra nie podporządkowuje się zachodniej logice harmonii, lecz ĆŒyje rytmem ciaƂa, rytuaƂem i energią miejsca. To byƂo jak wejƛcie do innego ƛwiata – nie tylko muzycznego, ale teĆŒ duchowego. DĆșwięk przestaƂ być jedynie melodią, staƂ się modlitwą, rozmową, sposobem na obecnoƛć ze sobą i innymi.

Muzyka zawsze byƂa dla mnie związana z literaturą, poezją i filozofią. To one nauczyƂy mnie, ĆŒe dĆșwięk nie jest jedynie melodią – to sposĂłb, w jaki ƛwiat mĂłwi do nas i przez nas, ƛrodek

interpretacji rzeczywistoƛci i komunikacji niewerbalnej.

Jeƛli miaƂabym wskazać moment, ktĂłry najbardziej mnie zmotywowaƂ do podÄ…ĆŒania tą drogą, byƂyby to spotkania z ludĆșmi, z ktĂłrymi wspóƂpracowaƂam. Muzycy, nauczyciele, przyjaciele – ci, ktĂłrzy dzielili ze mną dĆșwięk i ciszę – dawali mi poczucie, ĆŒe kiedy ƛpiewam lub gram, wszystko uspokaja się i wypeƂnia spokojem, a jednoczeƛnie mogę wypowiedzieć coƛ nieuchwytnego, co trudno oddać sƂowami. Dzięki nim uwierzyƂam, ĆŒe muzyka moĆŒe być nie tylko zawodem czy pasją, ale takĆŒe miejscem, w ktĂłrym odnajduję siebie i bliskoƛć z innymi.

2. Jak rozwijaƂa się relacja z Twoim instrumentem przez lata? Mam na myƛli Twój gƂos, ale

teĆŒ instrument, ktĂłry uwaĆŒasz za swĂłj wƂasny gƂos – skrzypce.

MĂłj gƂos zawsze byƂ dla mnie naturalną ƛcieĆŒką – czymƛ, co pojawia się samo, jak oddech. Z czasem uczyƂam się go na nowo – jak Ƃączy się z ciaƂem, napięciem, zmęczeniem. GƂos to nie tylko dĆșwięk, lecz caƂe miejsce, w ktĂłrym moĆŒna bƂądzić, szukać i pozwalać sobie na niedoskonaƂoƛć.

Czasami staje się niemal przezroczysty, czasem pulsuje intensywnoƛcią. Zawsze jednak

dostosowuje się do historii, ktĂłrą chcę opowiedzieć. Skrzypce byƂy bardziej wymagające. Przez lata czuƂam, ĆŒe narzucają strukturę i precyzję – przypominaƂy o dyscyplinie tradycyjnej edukacji muzycznej. ByƂ moment, w ktĂłrym nie wiedziaƂam juĆŒ, po co ich potrzebuję. Dopiero spędzając wiele miesięcy w Indiach zrozumiaƂam, ĆŒe mogę ich uĆŒywać inaczej – nie jako narzędzia do odtwarzania formy, lecz jako przedƂuĆŒenia gƂosu,drugi gƂos, ktĂłry mogę prowadzić tak samo swobodnie jak melodię w rozmowie. To doƛwiadczenie byƂo przeƂomowe – odkryƂam, ĆŒe instrument moĆŒe ĆŒyć razem ze mną, dojrzewać i oddychać w zaleĆŒnoƛci od tego, kim jestem tu i teraz. Relacja z gƂosem – zarĂłwno ludzkim, jak i instrumentalnym – staƂa się podrĂłĆŒÄ… w poszukiwaniu domu. Nie tylko w sensie dosƂownym, ale rĂłwnieĆŒ metaforycznym: chwil, wspomnieƄ, dĆșwiękĂłw i relacji, ktĂłre nas ksztaƂtują. Dom to takĆŒe proces twĂłrczy: wymiana energii z publicznoƛcią, wspĂłlna praca nad utworami, spontaniczne improwizacje, ktĂłre istnieją tylko przez kilka sekund i nigdy się nie powtĂłrzą. To one ksztaƂtują moją więĆș z instrumentami i uczą mnie sƂuchać – i pozwalać, by instrumenty sƂuchaƂy mnie.

3. Jak waĆŒne dla Ciebie jest eksplorowanie nowych obszarĂłw muzycznych, by wzbogacać
swĂłj wƂasny muzyczny język? Muzyka to nieustanna zmiana – coƛ, co stale się poszerza, jeƛli pozwoli się jej prowadzić w nieznane, i co rozwija się razem z nami. KaĆŒde nowe doƛwiadczenie: kontakt z inną tradycją, improwizacja z nieznanym instrumentem, nauka nowych technik wokalnych czy obserwacja sposobu, w jaki inni budują frazę, poszerza mĂłj język muzyczny. Daje inną perspektywę, odczuwanie czasu i rytmu, pozwala ujawniać detale, ktĂłre wyƂaniają się dopiero wtedy, gdy zwalniam lub pozwalam sobie na ryzyko.
Najbardziej ĆŒywa jest dla mnie zawsze granica – moment, w ktĂłrym coƛ we mnie waha się, nie rozumie, nie wie. Tam rodzi się ciekawoƛć. PodrĂłĆŒe do Indii byƂy w tym przeƂomowe – otworzyƂy mnie na systemy dĆșwiękowe poza europejską harmonią i zmieniƂy relację z czasem: dĆșwięk moĆŒe trwać dƂuĆŒej, cisza nabiera innej temperatury, a emocja nie musi być natychmiast domknięta. To doƛwiadczenie nauczyƂo mnie, ĆŒe muzyka jest procesem, nie punktem; drogą, nie celem. WspóƂpraca z muzykami grającymi na tradycyjnych instrumentach pokazaƂa, ĆŒe muzyka nie ma granic – to krajobraz, rzeka, w ktĂłrej odmienne intuicje splatają się w jeden język. Inspirują mnie rĂłĆŒne ĆșrĂłdƂa: jazz swoją odwagą, muzyka folkowa osadzeniem w ciele i pamięci zbiorowej, klasyka precyzją formy, eksperymentalne podejƛcia – wolnoƛcią i ryzykiem. KaĆŒdy gatunek otwiera we mnie inną częƛć siebie.

Moje dwa albumy bardzo się rĂłĆŒnią. Pierwszy reinterpretowaƂ polskie pieƛni – byƂ zakorzeniony w tradycji, pamięci i wspĂłlnym dziedzictwie. Drugi, PoƂudnia (Noons), powstaƂ z ciekawoƛci i pragnienia odkrywania nowych narracji, harmonii i melodii – otwarcia drzwi na ƛwiat, odejƛcia od znanego w stronę tego, co dopiero się wyƂania. Pisanie w języku polskim w zƂoĆŒonych strukturach harmonicznych wymagaƂo, by sƂowa nie tylko niosƂy znaczenie, ale wspóƂbrzmiaƂy z muzyką i zachowaƂy swoją barwę. Eksploracja języka staƂa się rĂłwnie istotna jak eksploracja dĆșwięku – sƂowo i melodia oddychają wspĂłlnym rytmem.

Eksplorowanie nowych obszarĂłw to dla mnie nie tylko rozwĂłj artystyczny, ale teĆŒ gest otwierania wyobraĆșni i ƛwiadomoƛć, ĆŒe muzyka jest większa niĆŒ jakikolwiek styl, tradycja czy system – ĆŒywa, pulsująca i gotowa objawić się w kaĆŒdym momencie, jeƛli tylko pozwolę sobie naprawdę sƂuchać.

4. Razem czy osobno? Jak Ci się pracuje samodzielnie i z innymi?Praca w samotnoƛci daje czas na eksplorację, poszukiwanie nowych ƛrodkĂłw wyrazu i zagƂębianie się w teksty, harmonię, strukturę. To jak szkicowanie w ciszy, zanim pojawi się gotowy obraz –
moment, w ktĂłrym mogę wsƂuchać się w to, co dopiero się rodzi. Samotnoƛć pozwala być surową i szczerym, wsƂuchiwać się w impulsy intuicji i emocje, ktĂłre chcę przekuć w dĆșwięk.
Jednoczeƛnie muzyka jest dla mnie spotkaniem. WspóƂpraca otwiera drzwi, ktĂłrych w samotnoƛci nie zauwaĆŒyƂabym. Improwizacja staje się dialogiem: nasze wyobraĆșnie splatają się w czasie rzeczywistym, kaĆŒdy gest jest odpowiedzią, kaĆŒdy dĆșwięk – propozycją. Dzięki temu spotkanie staje się peƂniejsze, a muzyka – bardziej ludzka.
Potrzebuję obu tych wymiarĂłw – samotnoƛci, ktĂłra pozwala wejƛć gƂębiej w siebie, i wspóƂpracy, ktĂłra pozwala wyjƛć poza siebie. Doskonale oddają to sƂowa bell hooks:

"Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with

others without using them as a means of escape."

Samotnoƛć uczy mnie, jak być z innymi w sposĂłb prawdziwy – jak sƂuchać, reagować i nie

wykorzystywać wspólnego grania do ucieczki od siebie.

5. ByƂaƛ w zeszƂym roku na trasie w Australii. Jak na Ciebie wpƂynąƂ ten pobyt i jak ogólnie
wpƂywają na Ciebie takie podrĂłĆŒe? PodrĂłĆŒe wnoszą do mojej twĂłrczoƛci coƛ nowego – nie tylko brzmienie, ale teĆŒ sposĂłb postrzegania czasu, rytmu dnia i procesu twĂłrczego. KaĆŒde miejsce uczy innego tempa, uwaĆŒnoƛci i oddechu. Australia byƂa dla mnie peƂna ƛwiatƂa, odmiennej dynamiki dnia i ciepƂa ludzi. CzuƂam, ĆŒe czas pƂynie tam szerzej, co wpƂynęƂo na mĂłj sposĂłb prowadzenia koncertĂłw i improwizacji. Jednym z najbardziej fascynujących elementĂłw trasy byƂ odbiĂłr języka polskiego przez sƂuchaczy: Polacy mieszkający w Australii, Australijczycy nieznający polskiego oraz osoby polskiego pochodzenia odbieraƂy muzykę w rĂłĆŒny sposĂłb. Pamiętam koncert w Local Edition w Sydney, gdzie większoƛć publicznoƛci stanowili Australijczycy. Po występie podeszli do mnie i powiedzieli, ĆŒe język polski dziaƂaƂ jak osobny instrument – niesie emocje, rytm i barwę niezaleĆŒnie od znaczenia sƂów. Wierzę, ĆŒe emocje i sposĂłb prowadzenia gƂosu mają czasem większą moc niĆŒ dosƂowne rozumienie tekstu. Pozwolenie sobie na intuicyjne odbieranie muzyki jest wyzwalające i otwiera drogę do prawdziwego doƛwiadczenia dĆșwięku.

Australia wrĂłci do mojego ĆŒycia w marcu 2026 roku – ponownie wyruszam tam w trasę, by
kontynuować muzyczną i ludzką wymianę, która tak mocno wpƂynęƂa na mnie podczas pierwszej wizyty.

6. Plany na przyszƂoƛć?

Obecnie skupiam się na dwĂłch duĆŒych projektach. Pierwszy to przygotowania do koncertowej trasy w Australii w marcu 2026 roku – to okazja, by ponownie spotkać tamtejszą publicznoƛć i rozwijać muzyczne dialogi z indyjskimi muzykami, odkrywając nowe brzmienia i Ƃącząc rĂłĆŒne tradycje. Drugi projekt to praca nad pƂytą Rise and Fall. To opowieƛć w dĆșwięku, w ktĂłrej muzyka Ƃączy się z wizualizacją. Za stronę wizualną odpowiada artystka parizad d – skanuje skamieliny, tworzy rentgeny roƛlin i wykorzystuje AI do projektowania powiększonych, abstrakcyjnych obrazĂłw. Wizualizacje stają się integralną częƛcią albumu, nadając muzyce dodatkową warstwę narracyjną i pozwalając sƂuchaczowi zanurzyć się w multidyscyplinarnym doƛwiadczeniu. Poza tym rozwijam warsztaty Vocal Landscapes, ktĂłre pozwalają uczestnikom odnaleĆșć wƂasny gƂos i swobodę wyraĆŒania siebie poprzez dĆșwięk i ciaƂo. To dla mnie istotny element twĂłrczoƛci – nie tylko dzielenie się muzyką, ale teĆŒ tworzenie sytuacji, w ktĂłrej inni mogą odkrywać swĂłj język muzyczny i doƛwiadczać go w peƂni. 





PT


Karolina Beimcik Ă© uma artista multifacetada e em constante busca – ela combina os mundos do jazz, da mĂșsica tradicional e da reflexĂŁo sociofilosĂłfica. Ela ultrapassa as fronteiras dos gĂ©neros e das artes, das culturas e dos paĂ­ses, construindo a sua prĂłpria linguagem artĂ­stica subtil. Cria projetos extraordinĂĄrios que revelam a sua interdisciplinaridade e a sua abordagem profunda Ă  mĂșsica.» — Jazz Forum Magazine, outubro de 2025

A sua obra combina as raĂ­zes eslavas da mĂșsica folclĂłrica com a improvisação jazzĂ­stica e o som contemporĂąneo, abordando temas como a memĂłria, a migração e a pertença.

Autora de dois álbuns (Noons [2024], Zorya [2018]), coprodutora e realizadora de vários projetos musicais. Professora do Berklee College of Music - Global Music Institute. Formada pela Aaron Copland School of Music no Queens College em Nova Iorque e em estudos culturais na Universidade Adam Mickiewicz em PoznaƄ.

Concertou em vårios festivais, incluindo: Expo 2025 (Osaka), The International Jazz Perth Festival 2024 (Perth), The International Chopin & Friends Festival (Nova Iorque), The Transitions Festival (Nova Iorque), Euro Jazz Festival (México), Zacatecas Cultural Festival (México), Cuernevaca Jazz Festival (México), Jazz Bez Festival (Ucrùnia), International Festival Flugery L'vova (Ucrùnia), Art Jazz Cooperation Festival (Ucrùnia), Cosmopolite Jazz Festival (Ucrùnia), Nowa Tradycja (Polónia), Niemen Non Stop (Polónia), Jazz na Kresach (Polónia), Unesco Heritage (Polónia).



1. Cada um de nĂłs envolvido com a mĂșsica e a arte teve um momento na sua vida que decidiu ou influenciou o que nos levou a começar a fazer o que fazemos. Qual foi esse momento da sua vida? 
NĂŁo consigo apontar um Ășnico momento que tenha mudado tudo – o meu percurso musical entrelaçou-se com muitos eventos aparentemente nĂŁo relacionados. Lembro-me que, em criança, quando peguei no violino pela primeira vez, o mundo pareceu-me um pouco diferente – como se tive a oportunidade de falar uma lĂ­ngua que compreendesse nĂŁo sĂł a mente, mas tambĂ©m o corpo e as emoçÔes. Eu cantava desde pequena, mas foi o violino que me permitiu experienciar o som de uma forma fĂ­sica, atĂ© mesmo Ă­ntima. A educação musical clĂĄssica deu-me disciplina e estrutura, mas durante muito tempo limitou a forma como eu pensava sobre a mĂșsica – tratava-a como um conjunto de regras a cumprir. SĂł quando comecei a improvisar e me deparei com o jazz Ă© que senti que a mĂșsica se poderia tornar um espaço de autodescoberta e de diĂĄlogo aberto com os outros. Recordo-me de uma improvisação com um mĂșsico que conheci por acaso num pequeno estĂșdio – nĂŁo concordĂĄvamos em nada, e a mĂșsica “conversava” entre nĂłs. Esta experiĂȘncia mostrou-me que a mĂșsica nĂŁo Ă© apenas notas escritas – Ă© respirar simultaneamente, partilhar um momento que dura apenas aqui e agora.
Viajar trouxe uma dimensĂŁo ainda mais profunda a isso. Fui Ă  Índia pela primeira vez e encontrei mĂșsica que nĂŁo obedece Ă  lĂłgica ocidental da harmonia, mas vive com o ritmo do corpo, o ritual e a energia do lugar. Foi como entrar noutro mundo – nĂŁo apenas musical, mas tambĂ©m espiritual. O som deixou de ser apenas melodia; tornou-se oração, conversa, uma forma de estar presente consigo prĂłprio e com os outros. Para mim, a mĂșsica sempre esteve ligada Ă  literatura, Ă  poesia e Ă  filosofia. Elas ensinaram-me que o som nĂŁo Ă© apenas melodia – Ă© a forma como o mundo fala connosco e atravĂ©s de nĂłs, um meio de interpretar a realidade e a comunicação nĂŁo verbal. Se tivesse de assinalar o momento que mais me motivou a seguir este caminho, seriam os encontros com as pessoas com quem colaborei. MĂșsicos, professores, amigos – aqueles que partilharam comigo som e silĂȘncio – deram-me a sensação de que, quando canto ou toco, tudo acalma-se e enche-se de paz, e ao mesmo tempo, posso expressar algo intangĂ­vel, difĂ­cil de expressar por palavras. Graças a eles, acreditei que a mĂșsica pode ser nĂŁo sĂł uma profissĂŁo ou paixĂŁo, mas tambĂ©m um lugar onde me encontro e me conecto com os outros.

2.Como se desenvolveu a sua relação com o seu instrumento ao longo dos anos? Refiro-me Ă  sua voz, mas tambĂ©m ao instrumento que considera a sua prĂłpria voz – o violino. A minha voz sempre foi um caminho natural para mim – algo que surge por si sĂł, como a respiração. Com o tempo, reaprendi a usĂĄ-la – como se liga ao corpo, Ă  tensĂŁo, ao cansaço. A voz nĂŁo Ă© apenas um som, mas um espaço inteiro onde se pode vaguear, procurar e permitir-se ser imperfeito. Por vezes torna-se quase transparente, outras vezes pulsa com intensidade. No entanto, sempre adapta-se Ă  histĂłria que quero contar. O violino era mais exigente. Durante anos, senti que ele impunha estrutura e precisĂŁo –
lembrava-me da disciplina da educação musical tradicional. Houve um momento em que jĂĄ nĂŁo sabia porque precisava dele. SĂł depois de passar muitos meses na Índia Ă© que me apercebi que podia usĂĄ-lo de forma diferente – nĂŁo como uma ferramenta para reproduzir formas, mas como uma extensĂŁo da voz, uma segunda voz que eu podia transportar tĂŁo livremente como uma melodia numa conversa. Essa experiĂȘncia foi revolucionĂĄrio – descobri que o instrumento pode viver comigo, amadurecer e respirar consoante de quem sou aqui e agora. A minha relação com a voz – tanto humana como instrumental – tornou-se uma viagem em busca de um lar. NĂŁo apenas no sentido literal, mas tambĂ©m metaforicamente: os momentos, as memĂłrias, os sons e as relaçÔes que nos moldam. O lar Ă© tambĂ©m um processo criativo: a troca de energia com o pĂșblico, o trabalho conjunto em peças, as improvisaçÔes espontĂąneas que existem apenas por alguns segundos e
nunca se repetirĂŁo. Isto molda a minha relação com os instrumentos e ensina-me a ouvir – e a deixar que os instrumentos me ouçam. 

3. Qual a importĂąncia de explorar novas ĂĄreas musicais para enriquecer a sua prĂłpria linguagem musical? A mĂșsica Ă© uma mudança constante – algo que se expande continuamente se for permitido, conduzindo-nos ao desconhecido, e que se desenvolve connosco. Cada nova experiĂȘncia: o contacto com uma tradição diferente, improvisar com um instrumento desconhecido, aprender novas tĂ©cnicas vocais ou observar
a forma como os outros constroem uma frase, amplia a minha linguagem musical. DĂĄ-me uma perspectiva diferente, uma noção de tempo e ritmo, e permite-me revelar pormenores que emergem apenas quando abrando o ritmo ou permito-me correr riscos. O mais marcante para mim Ă© sempre o limite – o momento em que algo dentro de mim hesita, nĂŁo compreende, nĂŁo sabe. É aĂ­ que nasce a curiosidade. As minhas viagens Ă  Índia foram inovadoras nesse sentido.  gard – abriram-me para sistemas de som fora da harmonia europeia e mudaram a minha relação com o tempo: o som pode durar mais tempo, o silĂȘncio assume uma temperatura diferente e a emoção nĂŁo tem de ser imediatamente reprimida. Essa experiĂȘncia ensinou-me que a mĂșsica Ă© um processo, nĂŁo um ponto; um caminho, nĂŁo um destino. Colaborar com mĂșsicos que tocam instrumentos tradicionais mostrou que a mĂșsica nĂŁo tem fronteiras – Ă© uma paisagem, um rio, onde diferentes intuiçÔes se entrelaçam numa Ășnica linguagem. Sou inspirado por diversas fontes: o jazz pela sua coragem, a mĂșsica folclĂłrica pela sua ligação ao corpo e Ă  memĂłria coletiva, a mĂșsica clĂĄssica pela sua precisĂŁo formal, abordagens experimentais pela sua liberdade e ousadia. Cada gĂ©nero revela uma parte diferente de mim. Os meus dois ĂĄlbuns sĂŁo muito diferentes. O primeiro reinterpretou cançÔes polacas – estava enraizado na tradição, na memĂłria e na herança partilhada. O segundo ĂĄlbum, Noons, surgiu da curiosidade e do desejo de descobrir novas narrativas, harmonias e melodias – abrindo portas para o mundo, afastando-se do conhecido em direção ao que estĂĄ apenas a emergir. Escrever em polaco, com estruturas harmĂłnicas complexas, exigia que as palavras nĂŁo sĂł transportassem significado, mas tambĂ©m ressoassem com a mĂșsica e mantivessem o seu timbre. Explorar a linguagem tornou-se tĂŁo importante como explorar o som – palavras e a melodia respiram um ritmo partilhado. Para mim, explorar novas ĂĄreas nĂŁo Ă© apenas desenvolvimento artĂ­stico, mas tambĂ©m um gesto de abertura a minha imaginação e a consciĂȘncia de que a mĂșsica Ă© maior do que qualquer estilo, tradição ou sistema – viva, pulsante e pronta a revelar-se a qualquer momento, se me permitir ouvi-la verdadeiramente.

4. Juntos ou separados? Como gosta de trabalhar sozinho e com outras pessoas? Trabalhar sozinho dĂĄ-me tempo para explorar, procurar novas formas de expressĂŁo e mergulhar na letra, na harmonia e na estrutura. É como esboçar em silĂȘncio antes de aparecer uma pintura acabada – um momento em que consigo ouvir o que estĂĄ apenas a emergir. A solidĂŁo permite-me ser autĂȘntico e honesto, ouvir os impulsos da intuição e as emoçÔes que quero transformar em som. Ao mesmo tempo, a mĂșsica Ă© um encontro para mim. A colaboração abre portas que eu nĂŁo perceberia na solidĂŁo. A improvisação torna-se um diĂĄlogo: as nossas imaginaçÔes entrelaçam-se em tempo real, cada gesto Ă© uma resposta, cada som uma sugestĂŁo. Isto torna o encontro mais completo e a mĂșsica mais humana. Preciso destas duas dimensĂ”es – a solidĂŁo, que me permite mergulhar mais fundo em mim mesmo, e a colaboração, que me permite ir alĂ©m de mim mesmo. As palavras de bell hooks captam isso na perfeição:
"Saber estar sozinho Ă© fundamental para a arte de amar. Quando conseguimos estar sozinhos, podemos estar com os outros sem os utilizar como meio de fuga."
A solidĂŁo ensina-me a estar verdadeiramente com os outros – a ouvir, a responder e a nĂŁo usar a interação para escapar a mim mesma.»

5. Fez uma digressĂŁo pela AustrĂĄlia no ano passado. Como Ă© que essa estadia te afetou e como Ă© que essas viagens te afetam em geral? Viajar traz algo de novo ao meu trabalho – nĂŁo sĂł o som, mas tambĂ©m uma forma de perceber o tempo, o ritmo do dia e o processo criativo. Cada lugar ensina um ritmo, uma atenção plena e uma respiração diferentes. Para mim, a AustrĂĄlia estava repleta de luz, de uma dinĂąmica diferente do dia e do calor das pessoas. Senti que o tempo flui mais livremente aĂ­, o que influenciou a minha forma de conduzir concertos e de improvisar. Um dos elementos mais fascinantes da digressĂŁo foi a receção do pĂșblico Ă  lĂ­ngua polaca: os polacos a viver na AustrĂĄlia, australianos que nĂŁo conheciam o polaco e pessoas de ascendĂȘncia polaca todos vivenciaram a mĂșsica de diferentes formas.
Recordo-me de um concerto no Local Edition em Sydney, onde a maior parte do pĂșblico era australiana. ApĂłs a apresentação, aproximaram-se de mim e disseram que a lĂ­ngua polaca funcionava como um instrumento Ă  parte– transportava emoção, ritmo e tom independentemente do significado das palavras. Acredito que as emoçÔes e a interpretação vocal tĂȘm, por vezes, mais poder do que uma compreensĂŁo literal da letra. Permitir-se perceber a mĂșsica intuitivamente Ă© libertador e abre caminho para uma verdadeira experiĂȘncia sonora. A AustrĂĄlia regressarĂĄ Ă  minha vida em março de 2026 – farei novamente uma digressĂŁo por lĂĄ para continuar a troca musical e humana que tĂŁo profundamente me influenciou durante a minha primeira visita.

6.Planos para o futuro?
Atualmente estou a concentrar-me em dois grandes projetos. O primeiro projeto sĂŁo os preparativos para uma digressĂŁo de concertos na AustrĂĄlia em março de 2026 – uma oportunidade para me reencontrar com o pĂșblico local e desenvolver diĂĄlogos musicais com mĂșsicos indianos, descobrindo novos sons e combinando diferentes tradiçÔes. O segundo projeto Ă© o trabalho no ĂĄlbum Rise and Fall. É uma histĂłria sonora, onde a mĂșsica se funde com a visualização. A artista parizad d Ă© responsĂĄvel pelos visuais – digitaliza fĂłsseis, cria raios X de plantas e utiliza a IA para projetar imagens abstratas ampliadas. As visualizaçÔes tornam-se parte integrante do ĂĄlbum, dando Ă  mĂșsica uma camada narrativa adicional e permitindo ao ouvinte mergulhar numa experiĂȘncia multidisciplinar.
AlĂ©m disso, estou a desenvolver workshops de Paisagens Vocais, que permitem aos participantes encontrar o seu prĂłprio voz e a liberdade de se expressarem atravĂ©s do som e do corpo. Este Ă© um elemento crucial do meu trabalho –nĂŁo sĂł partilhar mĂșsica, mas tambĂ©m criar um ambiente no qual outros possam descobrir a sua linguagem musical e vivĂȘ-la plenamente.



                                         Karolina Beimcik website/strona gƂówna/ pĂĄgina inicial


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