Author: Biczó Andrea

The story of this band started from Szigetköz, which is famous for its wild and romantic waters. The Danube drifted Rita, Márton and Áron wimpling through Szentendre towards Vác, so that during the years in music secondary school they could become a band with Zsófi and Ábel (anno 2010). The members of the string section are still attending the Liszt Ferenc Music Academy or they have just finished their studies there. The concerts of the band are usually thematic and the conception is not only musical. The prosperous performance entitled “Egy a madár a hangjával” brought up the 19 th century world by performing the poems of contemporary poets known from the collections from the last century, spiced up with authentical recruitment music. In the latest programmes they perform the cue music of the dances of the inhabitants of Bukovina.

CONTACT: sararanyzenekarnak@gmail.com // Radák Márton +3620 9291765

A unique band fusing the archaic vocal elements with urban and international layers of Olah Gypsy music. Soloists from famed bands Ternipe, Szilvási Gipsy Folk Band, Ando Drom and Romano Drom unite their voices, to which guitar, spoon and milk churn supply the beat. The unison of powerful voices and fiery rhythm is rounded off by brass instruments, clarinet, accordion, bass and percussion.

CONTACT: marotidani@gmail.com // +36 30 474 0044

Horsa Band has a simple mission: to play Transylvanian music as authentically as possible. They rely on field recordings by ethnographers and their own collection to recreate the original sound of the string bands in Mezőség and Kalotaszeg. As the older members still had the chance to play with the great village musicians in Transylvania, they can pass on their knowledge to the young and talented members of the group. First violinist István Horsa, recipient of the Béla Halmos prize, set up the band and keeps it on its path of authenticity.

CONTACT: istvan.horsa@gmail.com // Horsa István +36 20 392 0843

The group HolddalaNap  (‘MoonSingsSun’, or ‘The Moon with the Sun’) was founded  by well-known and experienced Hungarian folk musicians. With their debut album ‘Dandala‘ 2015, soon they were selected to the 10 groups who could represent hungarian world music in Fono Café, the 0th day before the WOMEX 2015 in Budapest. They have participated at WOMEX 2017 and 2018 as exhibitors, and thanks to the blooming co-operations they made, they had concerts and workshop at the National Ethnographic Museum of Warsaw in Mazurka Festival. There second album was released in 2018, by NarRator Records.

“ What they do in the song Hold és felhő (‘Moon and Cloud’)should be taught in a world music class. The final song on the album (Itt ülök fenn kerek mennyben ‘I sit here in Round Heaven’) which is a cover of a Transylvanian prayer, is one of the best thing what happened in the modern folk scene lately.” (Mihály Rácz, Lángológitárok)

CONTACT: holddalanap@gmail.com // Gulyás Anna +36 30 458 7129

I don’t know myself how Mihó Attila and Friends came into existence. When I was twelve years old, I met my friend Görög András at a dance house for kids in Ráckeve. It was the first time when he helped me play the violin, which became regular over the years. In the autumn of 2011, I began my studies at Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, majoring in folk music. At the time we ran our own dance house in Budapest for four years, and up to the present, we are regular guests of the Sebők folk-dance club and Fonó Music House. In the last six years, the current line-up gradually evolved, and we released our debut album called „Which way…” in 2017.

CONTACT: info@folkfest.hu

The soaring voice and natural charm of Ágnes Enyedi qualifies her as a true presenter of folk heritage. The artless appeal of her singing has won the most notable prizes in the field: Ágnes is a Junior Prima awardee as well as bearer of the Young Master of Folk Arts title. She has collected songs from across Transylvania and Moldavia, visiting the latter with Tázló band. She has been featured on several albums since 2006, making her solo debut in 2010 with the title „Love of a Dove”. Singing with Magos string band, they won the 1st prize at Folkbeats talent contest, and the chance to tour North America. She sang in Tatros band, and is a regular performer in productions by the Danube Folk Ensemble, and the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, whom she accompanied on their US tour in 2013.

CONTACT: enyedi_agi@yahoo.com // Enyedi Ágnes +36 30 376 0444

A musical genius who combines Central European heritage with the Afro-American roots of jazz both while composing and performing –  to a perfectly natural effect. His string quartet features folk musicians of the most devoted, studious and virtuosic ilk. The accompaniment helps him rise to a new vantage point in blending traditions, while retaining the trademark Dresch sound.

CONTACT: dresch.mihaly@gmail.com