Mała Armia Janosika

Mała Armia Janosika consists of two hundred and sixty members (ranging in age from two to seventy years old) and is the largest Goral band in Poland.

In 2024 the band gave a concert in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City, where they played among others Polish version Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore; Black Madonna; and also the title song from the series Janosik.

[1] In 2019, a musical section joined Mała Armia Janosika, forming an instrumental ensemble consisting of: On March 15, 2015, the first recruitment for the band was announced, which initially operated under the name "Galicja Projekt".

[2] 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.

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.

[6] 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.

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.

The video, titled "Białe róże" ("White Roses") and directed and produced by Pałasz, featured actors Katarzyna Żak and Piotr Cyrwus in leading roles.

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.

[9] 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.

[11] 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.

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.

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.

[15] On October 16, Mała Armia Janosika appeared in Wieliczka for "Papal Day," performing a repertoire commemorating the pontificate of John Paul II.

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").

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.

[18][19] 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).

[23] 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."

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.

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 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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.

[32] 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.

[41] 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.