Koszalin BassFest! Etnos Ensemble

Etnos Ensemble is a Katowice-based quintet founded in 2016. The lineup features Konrad Merta (accordion), Bartosz Pacan (clarinet), Piotr Gach (cello), Dawid Lewandowski (double bass), and Przemysław Pacan (percussion). Each musician brings their own experience, and their music draws from klezmer, Balkan, and Middle Eastern traditions.

The lower register here is exceptionally dense - the double bass meets the cello and accordion's bass registers, creating a foundation of rare depth. Dawid Lewandowski's double bass not only supports the harmony but regularly steps into the spotlight, giving the whole ensemble a distinctive, dance-like momentum.

The ensemble has performed at the National Philharmonic, the Polish Radio Concert Studio named after Witold Lutosławski (twice), at NOSPR headquarters in Katowice, at the Forest Opera in Sopot, and at Cavatina Hall in Bielsko-Biała - where they premiered an original concert with a chamber orchestra - as well as at festivals including NDI Sopot Classic, Polish Radio's New Tradition, and Sinfonietta Festival. They have toured Brazil and Colombia, and also performed in Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Latvia, and at the National Philharmonic in Moldova.

Etnos Ensemble is a recipient of the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage scholarship "Young Poland 2018", the "Culture in the Network" scholarship, and the Katowice city award "Investment in Culture". Their discography includes three albums: Etnos Ensemble 1, Gardens, and "Joyful News" - a collection of Polish carols and pastorals recorded together with the ensemble SVAHY, known in part from the Netflix production "The Hexer".