Kala Zingarica: Iva Bittová and Petr Pavlinec at Prostor

Kala Zingarica is a new project by singer and violinist Iva Bittová and cimbalom player Petr Pavlinec, built on nearly forgotten Romani songs from Horňácko and its surroundings. The name combines the Sanskrit word "kala" (fate, space-time) with the Latin "Zingarica", referring to the Romani people.

Roma have long been connected to Horňácko folklore - historically they performed mainly in mixed ensembles with non-Romani musicians, bringing their own repertoire and enriching the interpretation with new elements. Today, only one song from this legacy survives in live performance: "So tu more kheres"; the rest has been forgotten. Recordings of other songs, mostly with texts in Romani and Czech, are now being presented by Bittová and Pavlinec in unconventional arrangements.

Singing, violin and cimbalom form the foundation, which the project opens toward colorful and abstract improvisation - rhythmic, melodic and harmonic.