Maria Ka

Yiddish song" ) and in 2022 for her solo multilingual piece "Ven es regnt ווען עס רעגנט" ( People's Choice in the category of "Best original partially Yiddish song ). She co-operated or co-operates with various festivals, among which are: Yiddish New York, Singer's Warsaw, Weimarer Filmsommer, Juedische Woche Leipzig, Shalom Polin, „Zbliżenia”, and with institutions, such as Polnisches Institut Berlin, POLIN Museum, the Klezmer Institute, The City of Gdańsk, Spaces of Memory Foundation. She is also a researcher of Jewish culture, particularly of Yiddish cinematography, the role of women in Jewish world and multiple aspects of the Holocaust.

* artistic bio:
In 2015 she created dramatized concert „High heels”, presenting the poetry of Polish – Jewish poet Zuzanna Ginczanka. A year later she took part in American – Polish co-produced movie about Ringelblum’s Archieve, entitled „Who will write our history?” (world premiere: 2018). In 2018 „The music to the lost Yiddish movie” CD was released, which she co-created as a vocalist and musician. The same year – on the occasion of 50th anniversary of March’68 Jewish emigration from Poland - she prepared and performed a premiere concert „Rhythm 19/68” that presented emigrant’s poetry of that period. In 2019 she composed the first original concert entirely in Yiddish, called „Akhsanyes אַכסניות – Hidings”. This year also the premiere of her Yiddish concert with the band „Der Hemshekh דער המשך = the Continuation” took place ( the concert inspired and about invisible female biographies ). In 2020 she released a solo Yiddish album „Di arumike velt די אַרומיקע וועלט – the New Reality”, positively reviewed by major worldwide Jewish sources. In 2022 "Di shaykhesn די שײַכותן" - her newest multilingual solo audiovisual album was released, each song accompanied by the original videoclip. On April 20th 2023 her new Yiddish album "Der Hemshekh דער המשך" - dedicated to invisible women's biographies - premiered. It consists of 5 original songs written in the language contemporarily and 5 already existing Jewish pieces adapted to the woman's perspective. It was recorded with the band within the period of mass women's protests in Poland in Fall 2020. Maria Ka's main artistic interest is focused on exploring the area of femininity, embodying it in public space, retriving and broadening infinite female potiential. She is convinced that it all serves the balance and filling the gap in hitherto patriarchal narrative. Her music works usually consist of author’s Yiddish songs and already existing traditional Jewish pieces adapted to contemporary music means and female perspective. In synagogue of Gdańsk she conducted lectures at open university „Beit – Meir” and Yiddish – singing workshops. She is a scholarship holder honoured by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland, the Town of Gdańsk and Pomeranian Voivodship Marshal.

* scholar's bio:

She holds the double MA - in Jewish Studies and Psychology from Jagiellonian University, Kraków (2010, 2011). Her master’s thesis „The women of of Jewish cinematography in Poland. Characters and actresses” received a distinction in 5th Majer Bałaban contest for best doctoral and master’s theses, organized by Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw. Currently lecturing on Jewish culture, Yiddish, women in Jewish world and many more at University of Social Sciences and Humanities ( SWPS ) in Sopot.

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" Listening to Maria Ka’s Yiddish electropop album, “Di Arumike Velt” [The Surrounding World], was for me like hearing music from a parallel universe. Not only are the Yiddish songs about the coronavirus era and issues facing women in 2020s Poland, but the music itself is unlike anything I’ve heard performed in the language. Maria Kawska, a millennial resident of Gdansk, who records under the stage name Maria Ka, has a unique sound that includes elements of electronic dance music, europop, alternative rock and cold wave. Playing electric guitar, piano and keyboard, she makes ample use of a looping machine." / Jordan Kutzik, The Forward

"There is no question that Ka is motivated by serious issues, but her music can also be fun. One example is “Bingo,” about multiple identities. Its video, with many different versions of Ka’s face concurrently bopping around the screen, is a blast." / Renee Ghert Zand, The Times of Israel

"Ka’s feminism is woven through all of her creative work, whether it’s her songs or even her social media. (... ) there is not one note of klezmer to be found in her already impressive discography. It’s no secret that I am a passionate devotee of all things klez. But I also believe that it’s vital for artists to find their own musical way with the Yiddish materials at hand, something Maria Ka demonstrates with a very modern verve." / Rokhl Kafrissen, Tablet