Category: 2018

The Hungarian band named Erdőfű was born from the collaboration of táncház (‘dance-house’) musicians. Its members are all committed to the authentic performance of folk music tradition in the Carpathian Basin, both in dance-houses and concert venues. The aim of the initiative – which can also be regarded as a music workshop – is to provide a comprehensive picture of the string folk music of  Hungarian-populated areas as well as other ethnic groups living there, paying special attention to the particularities of a given region or settlement. The musical philosophy of Erdőfű is based on professional knowledge and proficiency in the specific instruments regarding the music tradition of a certain region, therefore, its members each are highly experienced in playing instrumental folk music. Their performances provide an opportunity for the audience to experience the unique sound of folk music in the Carpathian Basin through various instrumental formations and specific articulations.

CONTACT: erdofuzene@gmail.com

The name Rozsdamaró comes from a friend, and means „rust remover”. Rust refers to the crackly, archival recordings we use to learn the style and original sound of the village bands of old. We started playing together in the year 2000 in Szeged, released our first album in 2004 with the title „Then and Now” (Egykor és Most), and received the Young Artist of Folk Arts award in 2005.

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The intention of the Gajdos Band is to propagate the beauty and eternal value of Hungarian folk music. We want to show that authentic Hungarian folk music has retained its freshness and vigour even in the 21^st century, and it can suit the musical taste of the new age easily.
The members of the band are many-sided musicians, so we can interpret the musical dialects of the whole Hungarian-speaking area.
We have been awarded the highest honours of our profession, the Young Master of Folk Arts title.At our concerts – besides authentic folk music – adaptations can also be heard, which can be put into the category of ‘world music’. In these pieces classical musical elements, musical solutions typical of pop music, and authentic folk music sounding make up a special unity, which results in the particular acoustic effects typical of the Gajdos Band.

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CONTACT: info@gajdoszenekar.hu / +36 30 454 9546

Bálint Vizeli graduated as an informatics engineer at Budapest University of Technology and Economics in 2018, but on account of his family background, he is profoundly engaged in folk music, which is proved by the fact that he became the winner of the National Folk Violin Competition in Kecskemét, in 2017. He considers helping Hungarian communities abroad of great importance, thus he plays at Hungarian dance houses in Munic and Nurnberg, among other cities, every year. He is a regular musician of the dance houses of the folk music venues in Budapest, like Fonó and Hungarian Heritage House, moreover, for the last two years, he has been running a folk club at a venue named Rácskert in Budapest once a fortnight.

CONTACT: info@folkfest.hu

In addition to mastering and transmitting authentic folk music, I find it important to explore
all the possibilities given by the citera. I find it very important and consider it my purpose, to convince people that the citera is a very technical instrument, that has its place on stage, at festivals, and that isn’t exclusive to folk music, but can be used in anything, from jazz to classical music through blues! This is what we are trying to achieve with my duo, ZitheRandom. I have participated in several folk music contests where I earned several prizes, Golden Peacock, Golden qualification. I consider being one of the finalists of the Fölszállott a Páva folk music and folk dancing talent show to be my greatest achievement.

CONTACT: debreczenikishelga@gmail.com

A unique voice, or rather, three on the Hungarian folk scene: Zeke Band consists of three male singers. Active since 2017, the group accompany their singing on various instruments: flute, citera, tambura. This allows for inspiring arrangements of folk music tunes and a wide repertoire ready to draw in audiences interested in folk music. Members Ákos Gubinecz, István Hegedűs and Bálint Horváth study at the Liszt Music Academy and are dedicated to inspire listeners and pass on the folk heritage. They have been performing at prestigious venues such as the Music Academy and MUPA – Palace of Arts, and at various cultural events.

CONTACT: gubineczakos@gmail.com

Tindia sounds like a girl’s name – sure enough, the band is predominantly female – but actually stands for a perky dance tune. They play the music of Csángó people, a Hungarian minority living in Romania – a unique branch of Hungarian folk music also conned “the heavy metal of folk”. The band formed in 2015, they met while playing in a summer camp, and decided to stick together. All members work with music and some attend the Liszt Music Academy.

CONTACT: tindiazenekar@gmail.com / +36 70 385 0800

Ritka Band – ritka meaning „rare” – started in September 2017 and has 4 permanent members: Alinka Blumenschein, Petra Ecsedi-Oláh, Boglárka Szilágyi, Borbála Teszáry; current and former students of the Liszt Music Academy. They play and perform authentic Hungarian folk music from carefully selected sources. Apart from dancehouses, they regularly accompany Bihari and Bartók Folk Dance Groups, and increasingly concentrate on their own releases.

CONTACT: ritka.zenekar@gmail.com / +36 20 350 6745

The music of Poklade is all about the Balkans: the hum of cicadas, clinking of glass, fire of rakija. Scents, flavours, colours, joy and pain and above all an ancient force that takes you by the hand and carries you away. Their music is really poklade – meaning transformation. The band is made of students of legendary masters – József Versendi Kovács, György Tiszai and István Peti Kovács – and started in 2010 in Mohács. Vivien Gráf lends her soaring voice to the band’s gigs.

CONTACT: poklade@poklade.hu / +3630 585 95 20