JazzSoul.pl Interview

“I think this is a timeless project.”

An interview with Krzysia Górniak conducted by Maciej Majewski.

Krzysia Górniak String Orchestra is a new project by the acclaimed jazz guitarist Krzysia Górniak, in which her original compositions gain a new orchestral dimension. In addition to the leader, the recordings feature double bassist Michał Jaros and drummer Marcin Jahr, while the string parts were performed by violinists Malwina Hendzel and Małgorzata Kucharek, violist Jagienka Jaskólska, and cellist Zuzanna Konstantynowicz. The entire project was also made possible thanks to the contribution of outstanding arrangers. Which ones? Among other things, you will find out in this conversation with our esteemed guitarist.

What was the impulse behind creating the String Orchestra and recording your compositions in what is essentially an orchestral setting?

The inspiration for the album Krzysia Górniak String Orchestra came from concerts I played during a tour with philharmonic orchestras in Sopot, Kielce, and Zamość, when we were promoting the album Tribute to Nat King Cole from 2015. At that time, I performed the compositions “Friendship” and “Emotions” in such a large ensemble for the first time – it was a breakthrough for me. I remember thinking how beautiful and enjoyable my music sounded in that kind of arrangement. Improvising with a large string ensemble also feels incredibly inspiring.

So you waited almost a decade to bring this project to life?

Yes, the project sat in a drawer for quite a long time. It wasn’t until two years ago that Professor Klaudiusz Baran, former rector of the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, encouraged me to complete the recording. The arrangements were refined by Andrzej Mikulski, and I asked Michał Jaros to write three arrangements for my newer compositions: “Sea Salt On My Lips,” “Talking Rain,” and “Strawberry Kisses,” which we perform with our trio. In this way, the album became a kind of multi-dimensional suite, where the jazz trio leads the orchestra through a variety of musical narratives.

And what about the remaining four compositions? (you mentioned five, but there are nine on the album)

The compositions “Moments,” “Spring,” “The Storm Is Looming Ahead,” and “Meditation” come from the 2016 album Moments and were arranged by organist and improviser Andrzej Mikulski. They perfectly complement the entire album.

Aside from the previously mentioned “Friendship” and “Emotions,” what guided your choice in asking Michał and Andrzej to write orchestral arrangements for these particular pieces?

At that time, in 2015, I was collaborating with Andrzej Mikulski—we played together in the group Event Horizon ESC with Gniewomir Tomczyk—so I asked him to prepare the arrangements. Michał Jaros, on the other hand, has been co-creating the Krzysia Górniak Trio with me and Marcin Jahr for many years. I know his creative personality, talent, and musical sensitivity, so I had an intuition that it would sound right and bring a new character to the whole. Thanks to this, the color of the arrangements changes, and the way the string ensemble is led becomes more varied, creating an interesting and richly colored musical suite.

I get the impression that your compositions have gained an additional layer of melancholy thanks to these string arrangements—as if they’ve acquired an even fuller emotional dimension.

I think there’s something to that. Strings naturally bring a certain softness and depth of sound, which helps bring out more subtle emotions, including melancholy. For me, it was fascinating to observe how the same compositions begin to “breathe” differently in such a space—as if they gained more room and time to resonate. I wouldn’t say their character changed; rather, new emotional layers emerged that had previously been less exposed.

Did you have any specific ideas for your own parts, or did you rely on the arrangers’ creativity?

All the compositions on the album are my own, and we perform them with the Krzysia Górniak Trio. I arrange the guitar parts myself, while the trio’s sound and form are developed together. The strings serve as a kind of extension—they broaden our sonic palette and build space and dynamics. At the same time, the improvisations and the characteristic sound of the trio remain entirely original.

Since you waited so long to realize this project, did you consider including more compositions?

I believe the album is a complete whole. The pieces flow naturally from one to another and are energetically connected. I also think this material will work very well in concert as a cohesive set—we can play both shorter and longer improvisational versions depending on the situation. However, I don’t rule out that more arrangements may be created in the future to expand this repertoire.

Exactly—this project could have many “versions,” based on your entire repertoire.

I think this is a timeless project that can be performed for many years, depending on demand. I’m currently in the process of submitting offers to various orchestras and string ensembles. We are ready and happy to perform concerts—the arrangements are fully prepared. We come as a trio and can perform with any string ensemble that takes on this repertoire.

Would performing with a full orchestra under a conductor also be possible?

Of course. The music is written in such a way that it can be performed like this with larger ensembles—the conductor is essential in that case.

So where will audiences be able to hear you live first?

I hope the project will be presented both in philharmonic halls and at music festivals, but it can be performed anywhere there is space on stage for an appropriate ensemble—at least an eight-piece group.

Link to the interview: