“Muzyka Pierwsza” is an artistic encounter between contemporary sensibilities and ancient ways of thinking and feeling. It is an attempt to grapple with the essence of the oldest cultures and with the very first music.

Bydgoszcz’s renditions of the world’s oldest recorded piece of music will be performed at the finale of Próba Dźwięku at the MCK on October 21. Leading Bydgoszcz artists representing various musical genres will take the stage together.

October 21, 2026 (Wednesday) / 7:30 p.m.
Bydgoszcz Municipal Cultural Center, auditorium
Free admission tickets are required and available at the MCK box office

Six groups, representing six distinct musical worlds—piano, jazz, hip-hop, folk, alternative, and experimental—will present their interpretations of the “Hymn to Nikkal.” Performers include Adam Kośmieja, Joel Madaliński-Arthur, Kinga Pękała, Alisa Skrypnyk, Grzegorz Nadolny, Michał Szlempo, Mikołaj Krawczyk, DJ Paulo—Paweł Molenda, Marcel Witkowski, Bisz, the band SVAHY featuring Małgorzata Żurańska-Wilkowska, Ewa Pater, and Patrycja Cywińska-Gacka—as well as Marta Rogalska, Dawid Cholewiński, Eva Lanche, Marek Maciejewski, Sławek Janicki, Qba Janicki, and Agnes Hyizdalek. The artists will draw on contemporary and traditional instruments, electronics, vocals, and improvisation to create six completely different interpretations of one of the oldest known musical compositions.

The very idea for “Muzyka Pierwsza” stems directly from the DRUMS/ROOTS/INCLUSION project submitted as part of the application to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Roots—in this case, the roots of music—were sought by us in a very literal way: through history. By going back to the sources, we wanted to give listeners the opportunity to hear the sounds that our ancestors created (and listened to). But we wanted them to hear these sounds as interpreted by contemporary musicians. We invited Bydgoszcz artists from a wide variety of stylistic genres to participate in the project, including jazz, piano, folk, hip-hop, alternative music, and improvised (experimental) music—the genres most characteristic of Bydgoszcz.

These six genres do not exhaust the richness of Bydgoszcz’s music scene. However, they clearly characterize it, while also showcasing the strength that lies in the diversity of our city’s musical community.

Through their talent and artistic sensibility, the musicians interpreted the “Hymn to Nikkal”—the oldest known written musical composition—as well as ancient Hurrian hymns of their own choosing and other works from ancient cultures. Rhythm plays an important role in the Bydgoszcz interpretations; as an element that precedes harmonic sound, it is not only the foundation of music but also a natural force that organizes our lives—from our breath and heartbeat to the rhythm of work, rest, and everyday life.

For Bydgoszcz itself—a city that, for good reason, is now a member of and actively participates in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network—the concert “Muzyka Pierwsza” is a moment when one of the important projects known as Drums/Roots/Inclusion is realized in an original and spectacular way.

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“Muzyka Pierwsza” — Drums / Roots / Inclusion

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