sources of life
Mgr. art. Marián Kováč was born on September 21, 1990 in Banská Bystrica. He began to practice folk dance and playing folk musical instruments in the children’s ensembles Prvosienka and Radosť. In 2005 he became a member of the dance component of the folklore ensemble Partizán, with which he performed at festivals in Východná, Detva, Heľpa, Hrušov, Zuberec, Terchová, Očová, Priechod, Kokava, Klenovec and many performances in towns and villages in Slovakia, at important folklore festivals abroad and especially at world exhibitions in Shanghai and Moscow. He was one of the most talented and folk culture became a natural part of his life, with which he graduated from the acting faculty of the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica.
His father comes from Strelník – Šajba and this fact marked his relationship to folk culture. He became an excellent player in heligónka, but also in fujara, whistles, drumbľa and he also tried playing bagpipes. Janko Palovič, an excellent instrumentalist and singer, a native of Pony and a former member of SĽUK, became his great role model. Marián Kováč has been performing independently at the traditional Radvanský fair for 8 years, and people like to listen to his play and songs performed by him. During his studies, he was actively involved in the activities of the Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic and significantly manifested himself in several programs as a reciter and moderator, with great respect for the mother tongue.
Marián Kováč is an exceptionally gifted young man whose relationship to a folk song is exceptional. After the first songs recorded on the debut album “Šajbianske Pršťoke – Pomaly ovečky…” in 2011, he again presents other songs from Šajba and other villages of the wider Podpoľany not only with an original singing performance, but also with a brilliant play on traditional “bags”, as they called Heligónka. in the villages below Poľana. For his second CD he chose the title “When I’m Singing…” and the album will be presented at the Radvan Fair 2019. In terms of content, the first part of the CD focuses on songs from the life of bulls and geldings on the mountain hut, the second part focuses on recruit and military songs. . Their recording took place directly in nature, so in addition to interesting songs, you can also hear the singing of birds, the thunder of lightning and the whistling of missiles from a military training ground.
People liked his first songs because he spoke to them through clear language. Therefore, he believes that his others will be just as beautiful and literally magical in his presentation. Marián is a “proud and talented man” with whom the friends in the Partizán ensemble have survived a great deal. These were moments of happiness together with the people who came to utter words of appreciation after his songs, because Marián knew how to pass on joy and happiness for the people during the performances. He has a deep respect for his native region and, through the legacy of ancestral songs, a great faith, which often opens people’s hearts and can give them his songs to the fullest. I believe that people who have a sincere relationship to a folk song listen to them very carefully, so that they can then sing them themselves and sincerely look forward to the others who hold their hearts.
Sincerely, Igor K o v a č o v i č