multi-instrumentalist and composer; b. 1st February 1979 in Warsaw. Pupil and collaborator of Maria Pomianowska. He learnt the ethnic vocal techniques and instrument playing from genuine folk masters performing traditional music. He specialises in performances on more than a dozen bowed and ethnic instruments from all over the world: the electric cello, the double-bass, the Płock fiddle, the three-stringed bass, the kamancheh, the sārangī, the wspak, the Jew’s harp, the Chinese zither, the erhu, the riq, the morin khuur, the gadulka, the duduk, the saz, the laouto, the daf and the didgeridoo. He learnt throat and overtone singing (chöömej) from Tuva masters (Siberia). He is considered as a pioneer of overtone singing in Polish contemporary, folk and pop music. His throat technique inspired Krzesimir Dębski, who invited him to take part in the music recording sessions for Jerzy Hoffman’s film An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was a God.
He began his music career with the YerbaMater band, which played improvised classical Indian and Persian music. With this ensemble he won the 1st prize at the “New Tradition” Polish Radio Folk Festival in Warsaw (2003) and recorded two CDs (Meditation and Raga Praga). At the same festival he also received the 3rd prize with the group Magda Lena i Zakute Łby (2005), the Grand Prix with Cicha & Spółka (2013) and the special individual award Golden Fiddle for the best instrumentalist.
He has given performances and recorded CDs with such well-known artists and ensembles as Maria Pomianowska, Gendos, Masala, Mosaik, VillageKollektiv, Lutosłowianie orchestra, Michał Rudaś, Radio Samsara, Gadająca Tykwa, Laterna, Cicha and Pałyga, as well as The Mud Cavaliers. The collective composition with elements of free improvisation Kalendarium for voice and chamber ensemble, created by Krzysztof Knittel, Ryszard Latecki, Bartłomiej Pałyga, Tadeusz Sudnik and Tadeusz Wielecki, was commissioned by the International Society of Contemporary Music, Polish Section in 2015 as part of the "Collections - Composing Commissions" programme implemented by the Institute of Music and Dance.
Bartłomiej Pałyga is well-known for his explorations of new types of sound obtained on ethnic instruments. He shares his knowledge and abilities with a wide audience during numerous educational presentations held in collaboration with Warsaw Philharmonic (more than 600 presentations have been held to date throughout Poland) as well as workshops.