Mała Armia Janosika

Mała Armia Janosika is a Polish music band and artistic group, which performs folk music inspired by the culture of Polish Highlands. It was formed in 2015 on the initiative o Damian Pałasz, a violinist from Raba Wyżna.

Mała Armia Janosika consists of two hundred and sixty members (ranging in age from two to seventy years old) and is the largest highlander band in Poland. The group brings together children and youth from Raba Wyżna and its surroundings, united by a shared passion for regional music and the traditions of the Podhale region. The band's headquarters are in Raba Wyżna, where rehearsals and preparations for artistic performances occur regularly. In 2018, the Mała Armia Janosika was invited to participate in the ceremonial Concert for Independence (Polish: Koncert dla Niepodległej).

Band name and lineup
The name of the group is a play on words: the oxymoron "Mała Armia" (Little Army) is used to refer to the size of the band, which is predominantly made up of children, while the word "Janosik" (a legendary Carpathian bandit) is meant to evoke associations with mountain folklore. The band regularly goes on concert tours, performing throughout Poland and participating in events of a folk, holiday, papal, and patriotic nature.

In 2019, a musical section joined Mała Armia Janosika, forming an instrumental ensemble consisting of:


 * Rafał "Piętaszek" Nowak – keyboards, accordion
 * Wojtek Czyrnek – electric and acoustic guitar
 * Mariusz Pacyga – bass guitar
 * Grzegorz Jaromin – percussion instruments

2015–2017
On March 15, 2015, the first recruitment for the band was announced, which initially operated under the name "Galicja Projekt". Twenty-five people living in Raba Wyżna and its surroundings applied for the project. After the recruitment period, all members began their first lessons in playing the violin and Podhale basses under the guidance of Damian Pałasz. On December 24, 2015, the band initiated the tradition of "Pasterki Góralskie" in the parish church in Raba Wyżna.

In January 2016, the band organized charity caroling concerts for the sick and poor, and in July, they produced a music video for the song "Siła jest w jedności" (English: "Strength is in Unity"), recorded for World Youth Days. The video was shot in the commune of Raba Wyżna, including at the monument of Pope John Paul II. On this occasion, the band also performed during World Youth Days in Krakow and in Raba Wyżna. Also in 2016, the second recruitment for the band was announced, increasing the group by another twenty-five members.

At the end of January 2017, members of Mała Armia Janosika performed during a solemn caroling concert in front of Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, who was then bidding farewell to his function as Metropolitan Archbishop of Krakow. In February, the third recruitment for the band was announced. As a result, Mała Armia Janosika grew by fifty new members. On May 7, 2017, a group of one hundred members performed during the parish feast in Raba Wyżna: the Holy Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Dziwisz.

In the summer of 2017, the band worked on a music video for a song titled "Modlę się o miłość" (English: "I Pray for Love"), in the making of which Damian Pałasz engaged actors Katarzyna Żak and Cezary Żak, as well as the Megitza Trio. In the autumn, Mała Armia Janosika performed during the Days of John Paul II in Krakow, at the John Paul II Center in Łagiewniki.

2018
In February 2018, the founder of Mała Armia Janosika, Damian Pałasz, was awarded the title of "Personality of the Year 2017" in the plebiscite held by Gazeta Krakowska. He secured the first place in the district stage and the second place in the regional stage. In March 2018, after another recruitment, the band increased its membership to one hundred and forty members. In April, Mała Armia Janosika won the plebiscite for the "Most Popular Children and Youth Band of the Podhale, Orava, Spisz, and Pieniny regions" in 2017.

In October 2018, a music video premiered to commemorate the centenary of Poland's regained independence. The video, titled "Białe róże" ("White Roses") and directed and produced by Pałasz, featured actors Katarzyna Żak and Piotr Cyrwus in leading roles. Within two months of its release on YouTube, the video was viewed over a million times, and by March 2021, it had garnered 4.2 million views. Shortly after the video's premiere, Mała Armia Janosika was invited to participate in the Concert for Independence (Polish: Koncert dla Niepodległej), held on November 10, 2018, at the National Stadium in Warsaw. The concert was broadcast by all Polish television stations, and the band performed on stage alongside artists such as Maryla Rodowicz, Krzysztof Cugowski, Ewa Farna, and Kamil Bednarek. During their solemn performance, Mała Armia Janosika presented a medley of legionnaire songs, accompanied by a symphony orchestra conducted by Grzegorz Urban. Among the songs performed were "Białe róże," "Wojenko, wojenko," "Szara piechota," "Przybyli ułani pod okienko," and "My, Pierwsza Brygada." The performance by Mała Armia Janosika was watched by 40,000 spectators at the stadium and 7 million viewers gathered in front of their televisions.

In November, the band performed during the visit of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, to Podsarnie, presenting patriotic songs. On December 20, 2018, the first full-length album of Mała Armia Janosika, Kolędy i Pastorałki na góralską nutę (English: Carols and Pastorals in Highland Style), was released. The band embarked on a promotional concert tour covering the Małopolska and Podkarpacie regions.

2019
In 2019, Mała Armia Janosika began a series of concerts in various cities including Tarnów, Nowy Targ, Przemyśl, and Sanok. In March 2019, Damian Pałasz was named the "Personality of the Year 2018" in a competition organized by Dziennik Polski and Gazeta Krakowska, in the culture category, taking first place in the Nowy Targ district and second in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. He was nominated for his contribution to regional culture. By autumn, the number of band members had grown to one hundred fifty.

On September 29, 2019, the group performed a concert at the John Paul II Center in Krakow, on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Agricultural Restructuring and Modernization Agency. On October 16, Mała Armia Janosika appeared in Wieliczka for "Papal Day," performing a repertoire commemorating the pontificate of John Paul II. Also in October, Pałasz and members of the band were awarded during the fourteenth edition of the FilmAT Festival in Warsaw. The group was honored for the best documentary film in the history and heritage category, as well as for the "patriotic values" of the music video – in both cases for "Białe róże" ("White Roses").

2020–2021
In February 2020, Mała Armia Janosika performed in front of President Andrzej Duda during his visit to Rabka-Zdroj. In March 2020, due to restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, the band decided to suspend their concert activities. During the spring, two music videos were recorded remotely ("Dni, których nie znamy," "Barka"). The second of these music videos had been viewed over three million times on YouTube by March 2021. In the spring and summer of 2020, Mała Armia Janosika participated in multiple programs on Polish Television: Teleexpress, Bądźmy razem w domu, Studio Raban, and Ziarno. The group also appeared on TVP Polonia, in TVP's news services, on Radio Plus, and in print media (Gość Niedzielny, Twoje Imperium).

On September 26, 2020, at the initiative of Damian Pałasz, the "First and Biggest Highland May Day in Poland" was organized in Raba Wyżna (on the occasion of the hundredth birthday of Pope John Paul II). The event was accompanied by honorary patronages, including those of Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz and Marshal of the Małopolskie Voivodeship Witold Kozłowski. On October 18, 2020, Mała Armia Janosika performed during the concert "Wadowice, Where It All Began," organized by Polish Television.

On June 28, 2021, the premiere of the new album titled Jan Paweł II – Przyjaciel Podhalańskiej Ziemi (English: Jan Paweł II – Friend of the Podhale Land) took place. The album pays homage to the Polish pope and was released on the 101st anniversary of his birth. In July, the group appeared on stage during the celebrations of the "Second Largest Highland May Day in Poland." Damian Pałasz was the director and producer of the event. On August 21, 2021, Mała Armia Janosika performed a concert titled "Solidarity with Belarus," which took place in Częstochowa. The event was broadcast on TVP Polonia. Also, at the end of August, a concert of Mała Armia Janosika took place in Wolbrom, during which a total of one hundred and fifty artists performed on stage. On November 19, 2021, the band performed at the Kraków Philharmonic during the celebration of the Małopolska Festival. In the second half of December, Mała Armia Janosika was hosted at the Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest, where they also performed a concert. It was positively reviewed by the audience.

2022
On May 8, 2022, a delegation from Mała Armia Janosika participated in the ceremonial gala for the TVP Polonia Awards, presented "for merits to Poland and Poles outside the country." It was held at the Royal Castle in Warsaw and broadcast by Polish Television. At the end of the month, the band performed at the "Third Largest Highland May Day in Poland"; the event was produced by Damian Pałasz.

On October 13, 2022, the music video for Mała Armia Janosika's song "Walczymy do końca" premiered. The musical production of the song was handled by the award-winning producer Bartosz "Tabb" Zielony; Damian Pałasz is the author of the lyrics and composer of the song. The music video was recorded on the occasion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the song had a motivational character aimed at encouraging support for the Polish national team during the tournament. The "Walczymy do końca" music video surpassed 1.1 million views on YouTube. The song made it onto the Vox FM radio charts and was played on radio stations such as Polskie Radio Program I and Polskie Radio Program III. It was also featured on television channels including TVP1, TVP2, TVP Info, TVP Polonia, Polo TV, TV Trwam, as well as in programs like Pytanie na śniadanie and Teleexpress.

On December 24, 2022, Mała Armia Janosika performed during the concert "Zajaśniała gwiozdecka nad Tatrami," which was broadcast by Polsat, Super Polsat, Polo TV, and Disco Polo Music channels.

2023
On January 6, 2023, the band performed during the annual Three Kings' Procession in Łódź, which was broadcast by TVP3. At the end of February, Mała Armia Janosika performed during the concert "Stay Together – Nie bądź obojętny," organized on the occasion of the first anniversary of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The band appeared on stage at the beginning and end of the event, which was also attended by Kayah, Grzegorz Hyży, and Kasia Kowalska. On April 2, the group performed during the concert "Nie zastąpi Ciebie nikt," organized on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II. The concert was broadcast by TVP1 and Polskie Radio Program I. Besides Mała Armia Janosika, Edyta Górniak, Łukasz Zagrobelny, and Halina Mlynkova also appeared on stage.

On April 29, 2023, the band performed a concert in tribute to John Paul II on the occasion of the 103rd anniversary of his birth; it was broadcast on Telewizja Republika. On May 18, 2023, the premiere of the concert "Heavenly Better" took place on TVP1, which was held in the Market Square in Zamość. On July 2, 2023, Mała Armia Janosika performed during the Closing Ceremony of the European Games Kraków–Małopolska 2023. The band played the song "Tak smakuje życie" from Enej's repertoire and the piece "Janosik" accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra.

On July 29, 2023, the band performed a concert to commemorate the 7th Anniversary of World Youth Day at Campus Misericordiae in Brzegi. From August 3 to 5, 2023, the band embarked on a concert tour to Włocławek, Toruń, and Wadowice. In Toruń, they played a concert for the "15th Family Thanksgiving," which was broadcast live on Telewizja Trwam. In Wadowice, Mała Armia Janosika took part in the concert titled "Among Many Paths," which was aired on TVP1. On September 9, 2023, the group participated in the concert titled "There Is No Greater Love," organized to commemorate the beatification of the Ulmów Family. The concert was broadcast on Polish Television and also featured performances by Justyna Steczkowska, Marek Piekarczyk, Pectus, and Gospel Rain.

In November 2023, the latest album of the group was released, titled Zaświeciła Gwiozdecka nad Górami. The album features Highland pastorals and traditional carols adorned with the poetry of the Rabian poet Danuta-Truta Pałasz. The producer of the album is Damian Pałasz. On November 11, 2023, in celebration of Independence Regained Day, the band performed a concert at the Temple of Divine Providence in Warsaw.

In December 2023, on the official Mała Armia Janosika YouTube channel, the group gathered over 100,000 subscribers, thereby receiving recognition in the form of a silver play button. On December 12, 2023, during the ceremonial awarding of the Soli Crystals awards at the Krakow Philharmonic, the Mała Armia Janosika Association received two prestigious distinctions from the Małopolska Voivodeship Marshal's Office. The first was the award for the best non-governmental organization in the Małopolska Voivodeship – the "Leader of Non-Governmental Organizations in Małopolska" (in recognition of contributions to the artistic development of the young generation and shaping in young people a civic, social, and patriotic attitude). The second award was presented by the Marshal of the Małopolska Voivodeship in the category of culture and regional identity (for the educational development of the young generation in the spirit of respect for the cultural heritage of the Podhale region and national values, as well as for the promotion of Małopolska during national and international events).

On December 17, 2023, in Ruda Śląska-Kochłowice, the band performed a grand Christmas concert to inaugurate the 2023/2024 caroling season. On December 24, 2023, the IX Góralska Pasterka (English: "Highlander Christmas Eve") with Mała Armia Janosika took place in Skawa. On December 24, 2023, the concert "Great Caroling with Polsat in Podhale", featuring Mała Armia Janosika, aired on Polsat television.

2024
On January 6, 2024, the band performed a grand Christmas concert at the Co-Cathedral Basilica in Stalowa Wola. The concert was broadcast on Telewizja Trwam. In January 2024, the band toured Poland, giving Christmas concerts as part of the winter concert tour in the following towns: Opoczno, Wieluń, Grybów, Jaworzno, Rajsko, Dąbrowa Tarnowska. On February 3, Mała Armia Janosika participated in the farewell to the winter season 2023/2024, which took place at the Beskid Complex in Spytkowice.

On April 27, 2024, the band performed a concert in Ryki as part of the inauguration of the Summer season. On May 3, 2024, a television special titled The Great Highlander May Festival in Rabka-Zdrój premiered on TV Trwam. It was directed, produced, and musically supervised by Damian Pałasz.

On May 7, 2024, the band set off for Italy, undertaking the longest concert tour in their history. As part of the Italian tour, the band performed on May 8 during the general audience at the Vatican, singing for Pope Francis. On May 10, the band participated in a Holy Mass at the tomb of Saint John Paul II. On May 11, Mała Armia Janosika gave a grand thanksgiving concert at the Divino Amore Sanctuary during the 2nd Roman Polonia Days. On May 12, the band played at Monte Cassino, paying tribute to the murdered Poles. The organizer of the concert tour to Italy was the Karpathia Foundation, led by Łukasz Latko.

On June 8, 2024, the Mała Armia Janosika Association organized an event called "The 5th Largest Highland May Picnic in Poland", in Rabka-Zdrój, to commemorate the 104th birthday of Pope John Paul II. In June 2024, the band performed concerts in Brzeszcze and Libiąż, and for the third time performed outside of Poland, this time in Bystřice in the Czech Republic. On July 7, 2024, Mała Armia Janosika appeared on stage during a televised concert in Uniejów, as part of the Earth Festival 2024. The band presented the song "Tak smakuje życie" from Enej's repertoire, and performed a song called "Moja Planeta" in a duet with Majka Jeżowska. The concert was broadcast live on Polsat. Other artists included Maryla Rodowicz, Alicja Majewska, and Kamil Bednarek, among others. On July 13, 2024, Mała Armia Janosika performed during a concert in Limanowa, which gathered thousands of spectators in front of the stage.

Accolades

 * 2024: Silver Medal of Pope John Paul II for services to the Archdiocese of Kraków, awarded to the founder and leader of the band, Damian Pałasz (for promoting the memory of Saint John Paul II, and for advocating religious, patriotic, and family values through the band's artistic activities)

Discography

 * Studio albums
 * 2021: Jan Paweł II – Przyjaciel Podhalańskiej Ziemi
 * Christmas albums
 * 2018: Kolędy i Pastorałki na góralską nutę
 * 2023: Zaświeciła Gwiozdecka nad Górami
 * Singles and music videos
 * 2016: "Siła jest w jedności"
 * 2017: "Modlę się o miłość"
 * 2018: "Białe róże"
 * 2020: "Dni, których nie znamy"
 * 2020: "Barka"
 * 2020: "Nie zastąpi Ciebie nikt"
 * 2022: "Walczymy do końca"

Band lineup

 * Damian Pałasz – violin, conductor, founder

Musical section:
 * Rafał "Piętaszek" Nowak – keyboard instruments, accordion (joined the band in summer 2019 and continues to play)
 * Mariusz Pacyga – bass guitar (2019–present)
 * Grzegorz Jaromin – drums (2019–present)
 * Wojtek Czyrnek – electric and acoustic guitar (2020–present)

Former members:
 * Marcin Grywalski – electric guitar (2019)
 * Szymon Matras – bass guitar (2019)
 * Krzysztof Stanik – electric and acoustic guitar (Winter 2019 – Spring 2020)

Source: TVP Polonia