by Vera LeFort
On Wednesday we spent the day in Kraków’s Old Town exploring its culture, and ended the evening with our first concert in Poland.
Upon arriving in the city, I was immediately taken by the Wawel (Va-vel) castle overlooking the Wiswa, the longest river in Poland. I was reminded of the extensive history in Europe. This became more apparent as we walked to the Main Market Square, decorated with centuries-old churches, the town hall tower, cafes, and surrounding outdoor restaurants.
After doing some shopping in the square, we visited the Rynek Underground Museum, which documents Medieval life in Kraków when there was a below-ground-level sector that thrived as a part of the city’s economy and culture. It was intriguing to see some of the artifacts that were preserved from that time period: old roads, pieces of clothing, and fragments of art that survived.
Following the museum tour, we had some time for lunch and were then led on a walking tour of the Old Town. Our tour guide Bruno, a local university student, was very knowledgeable in the history of the city’s sector, and his enthusiasm made for a very lively, exciting tour. On our way to the Wawel Castle, we walked past many of the city’s historical churches. Upon entering the gates of the castle, we learned about the importance it held for the city and the nation in its heyday as the nation’s former capital. The castle was mostly used as a home for royalty, and I admired how, over the years, as residents moved through, they all contributed to its architectural character. At first glance inside the castle walls, some of the buildings looked somewhat fragmented, although each was undoubtedly unique and remarkable on its own. This resonated with me as a representation of how Kraków, and many civilizations around the world, was built over hundreds of years, fostered by people of many cultural backgrounds with a variety of perspectives and ideas, and whose contributions have fostered such rich culture that makes those cities as we know and love them today.
Although I was eager to spend more time in the heart of Old Town, we then headed to the ICE Kraków Congress Center for our Polish debut! As it was our first performance abroad, I think we were all feeling some anticipation, along with some exhaustion from the day’s adventures. Nevertheless, we spent some time rehearsing and adjusting to the acoustics of the hall. It was very different from other spaces I have performed in, and it was jarring to hear our music in such a different way. Following the sound check we enjoyed a catered dinner and got ready for our concert. As I was getting ready, I felt calm, which may have been in part from exhaustion after such a full day. However, I think that my lack of nerves allowed me to focus on the music and be fully present during the performance. It was a successful first concert and I hope that our Polish audience enjoyed it as much as we have enjoyed the tour thus far. After our concert, we loaded up our buses once more for a 1.5 hour-long ride back to our hotel in Katowice.
After a fun-filled day immersed in Polish culture, I am very grateful for the experience to share our music with our European audiences, and I hope that they felt that in some way as well.
Cover Photo: Vera LeFort