Kalman Magyar's Hungarian Folk Music Blog

Discovering and Sharing Our Great Musical Treasures

Tanchaztalalkozo 2012 Wrap-Up (Part 3)

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

Here’s the final installment of my wrap-up of the Tanchaztalalkozo 2012 that took place at the end of March/beginning of April in Budapest.  It is the world’s largest Hungarian folkdance and folk music festival and gathering. I ended Part 2 of the wrap-up talking about the amazing reunion of Transylvanian tanchaz musicians on the last [...]

Tanchaztalalkozo 2012 Wrap-Up (Part 2)

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

Seeing and hearing well-established, seasoned bands who have been working for decades is like eating your favorite “comfort food.”  This year’s Tanchaztalalkozo in Budapest, like most previous years, featured one such band – Duvo. Duvo is comprised of four of Hungary’s most well-known, well-traveled, and adored musicians:  the violin-playing Hruz brothers (Denes and Szabolcs), and [...]

Tanchaztalalkozo 2012 Wrap-Up (Part 1)

Friday, April 13th, 2012

This year I had the good fortune of attending the annual Tanchaztalalkozo (the largest Hungarian folkdance and folk music gathering in Budapest), which was, as usual, rich with diverse and top-notch fol programming.  You can access the full programme (in Hungarian) here (click on “Letoltes”).  The next three blog entries share my own impressions of [...]

Tamburitzans of Duquesne University – 75th Anniversary Celebration

Monday, March 19th, 2012

My personal musical development, and the musical and dance life of thousands of others around the world who were in the group and have seen it perform, was deeply affected by my years of performing with the Tamburitzans of Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University.  In 2012, the Tamburitzans are celebrating their astounding 75th year of existence.  In [...]

Eletfa 25th and Csurdongolo 15th Anniversary Performances

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

The weekend is upon us – on March 10, 2012, at the Crossroads Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the Eletfa Hungarian Folk Band and the Csurdongolo Hungarian Folkdance Ensemble take the state together in matinee and evening performances to celebrate their significant anniversary milestones.   For more information about the performances on March 10, [...]

Folkbeats Folk Music Co-Winner Magos Band Coming to America

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Last year’s co-winners of the highly competitive FOLKBEATS Hungarian nationwide talent search competition, the Magos Band, are coming to America!   The American/Canadian tour of Magos will take place in April to May 2012, throughout North America.  Check back here soon for dates as they are solidified!   Magos is one of Hungary’s brightest and [...]

First Ever Gyimes-Intense Workshop in the Americas – Montreal, February 2012

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

Montreal is a very good place to be on February 24 to 27, 2012.  The reason is simple. The legendary dancers from the Gyimes valley region of the Carpathian Mountains, Ferenc Sára and Zsuzsanna Varga, will be teaching dances from their hometown’s region.  They will be joined by the members of the Zerkula Band from Gyimes, [...]

Csipke Camp 2012 Staff Announced

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Well, if you are a fan of Hungarian folkdance in North America, this is the big announcement you wait for every time this time of year!  Who will be the staff from Hungary in the next Csipke Dance and Music Camp in Brooklyn, Michigan in 2012?   Gazsa Band will be the musicians!  Dance teachers [...]

Tanchaz Recognized by UNESCO

Saturday, November 26th, 2011

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has recognized the Hungarian Tanchaz movement as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” worthy of safeguarding!!!  This is no small feat.  UNESCO follows its “Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage” and includes on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritages only those programmes, projects and activities that best [...]

Maiden Danced to Death

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

This is a feature film making its way around the world at film festivals and movie theatres, and should be required viewing for anyone interested in Hungarian folk music and dance.   The movie stars and is directed and co-produced by Endre Hules, with cinematography by Oscar-award winning Hungarian cinematographer Zsigmond Vilmos.  But that’s not [...]