In line with the main theme of the Festival, and with Rijeka being declared the European Capital of Culture in 2020, this relatively short, 30-minute concert on the main festival stage, Gradec, will highlight the diversity and sound richness that the traditional instruments of Gorski Kotar, Istria and Kvarner artistically create. We will see performances of groups who also take part in the thematic programme Via the Karolina and Lujzijana historical roads to Rijeka (members of Folklore Groups from Barban, Galižana, Jelenje and Poljica), and individual artists, players of traditional instruments.

Delnice is situated in the transit area of the central part of Gorski Kotar plateau. It is a place where various influences meet and overlap, where polka and waltz arrived from the former Austria-Hungary and diatonic accordion heligonka from the Bohemia, today essential and indispensable symbols of cultural identity of Gorski Kotar area. Delnički muzikanti form part of tamburitza group in “Delnice” Folklore Group and they will be performing with the folklore group.

They are: Denis Kezele on diatonic accordion, Saša Marincel on bugarija guitar and Franjo Jakovac on berda (bass). From Sovinjak in northern Istria not far from Buzet, we have gunjci, a group of musicians who originally played violin and bass (mali and veli vijulin) and who came to Istria from the alpine regions in the 19^th century. The group gunjci gradually included clarinet (klarin), triještina, trombeta and other instruments. Gunjci exclusively perform dance music, which is mostly polkas, waltzes, mazurkas and marches.

Sovinjski gunjci are: Nevio Sirotić on frajtonerica (diatonic accordion) and Robert Majer on bass. Orlec, the largest village in the interior of the island of Cres, located northeast from Vransko Lake, is represented this year by Mario Mužić who will be playing meh (bellows) and perform tanec po staru: z mesta and naokolo. The concert will be an introduction to the second evening of folklore group performances on Gradec.

Idea and concept Vidoslav Bagur

Participants:

Orlec (otok Cres / the island of Cres), Mario Mužić
Poljica (otok Krk / the island of Krk), FD „Poljica“,
sopci musicians Edi Milohnić i Luka Brozić
Galižana/Gallesano, Zajednica Talijana „Armando
Capolicchio“ Galižana/Comunità degli Italiani „Armando Capolicchio”
Rab i Lopar (otok Rab / the island of Rab), Anđelo Brna i Bruno Škarić, Rab i KUD / Folklore Group „San Marino“ Lopar
Barban, KUD / Folklore Group „Barban“
Delnice, Delnički muzikanti
Sovinjak, Sovinjski gunjci
Jelenje, KUD / Folklore Group „Zvir“ Jelenje, Grobnički sopci