The Hungarian Folk Singing Circle ("Népdalkör" in Hungarian) teaches Hungarian folk songs through ongoing class series, one-time workshops, private lessons, professional coaching, lecture presentations, and cultural events in various locations around the world as well as in interactive online classes.
Founder and leader Zina Bozzay is known for her friendly, accessible teaching style and academic rigor. Our classes are primarily held in English (as well as Hungarian) and unless otherwise indicated are open to participants of all backgrounds, with no previous experience required. Hundreds to thousands of people participate every year, with participants on every continent, in dozens of countries.
Materials include a wide range of beautiful village songs from across the Hungarian language area, crafted over generations of unbroken oral tradition. These are not composed songs or modern arrangements, and they are taught directly from village source recordings. They include grieving songs to uptempo dance songs, love songs to lullabies, old style and new style, simple and highly ornamented, with beautiful song words and unique regional scales and rhythms. Participants receive village source recordings, Hungarian pronunciation guides, ethnographic maps, song word sheets (lyrics), English translations, and background information on the songs and regions. Classes also often include information about vocal technique, traditional instruments, seasonal practices, and the traditional lifestyle and ways of thinking that these songs come from.
Founded in San Francisco, California in 2010, the Singing Circle is now based in Budapest, Hungary.
Click here to view our current class offerings.
Click here to view our other offerings and request a class.
Click here to hear Vadalma's performances of songs taught in the Singing Circle.
Click here to support our work.
Celebrating 10 years of the Népdalkör!
What began as a small weekly singing class in the Bay Area has grown to reaching thousands of people each year on six continents through folk singing classes, workshops, presentations, performances, private lessons, and more. From a San Francisco living room, to Ashkenaz and Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA, to the Hungarian Heritage House and Óbuda Folk Music School in Budapest, to virtual classes several times a week to meet the demand of participants in various time zones. Participants range from young children through older adults, with enormously diverse cultural, linguistic, and musical backgrounds - including many who are reconnecting with lost family heritage.
THANK YOU for your support and participation!
Donate now to support our continuation of this work for 10 more years! We are committed to continuing our village song collecting, teaching, performing, and more. Especially during this pandemic, it brings great joy to enrich people's lives with music, language, culture, and meaningful learning that changes lives. There are many non-monetary ways to contribute as well (click here for ideas).
Select Past Workshops and Class Series:
Hungarian Heritage House, Budapest, HU
Magyar Zene Háza / House of Music, HU
ELTE University, HU
Fulbright Scholars, HU
Óbuda Folk Music School, Budapest, HU
Rákóczi Szövetség camps, Sátoraljaújhely, HU
American International School, Budapest, HU
Háló Community and Cultural Center, Budapest, HU
Hunscapes cultural events, HU
Marczibányi Téri Művelődési Központ, Budapest, HU
The Kitka Institute, Oakland, USA
Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, USA
Ashkenaz Music & Dance Center, Berkeley, USA
Hungarian Heritage Festival, Belmont, USA
Magtár Hungarian Cultural Alliance, Los Angeles, USA
Hungarian Art & Culture Festival, Walnut Creek, USA
Hungarian Culture Week, Walnut Creek, USA
Dunava, Seattle, USA
Intersection for the Arts, San Francisco, USA
Rod Poppy Art House, San Francisco, USA
Hungarian Scouts, Woodside Priory, Portola Valley, USA
United Magyar Ház, Los Angeles, USA
East European Folklife Center Music & Dance Workshop, USA
Zhena Folk Chorus, Los Angeles, USA
Kárpátok Hungarian Folk Ensemble, Los Angeles, USA
Eszterlánc Hungarian Folk Ensemble, Bay Area, USA
Hungarian folk dance classes, Bay Area, USA
Zambaleta World Music & Dance School, San Francisco, USA
SF Community Music Center, San Francisco, USA
Coaching for members of KITKA, Janam, Cancioner, Stellamara, VOCO, Dunava, Wild Honey Trio, and other choruses.
Lectures and presentations:
Fulbright grantees (HU)
ELTE University (HU)
Corvinus University (HU)
American International School (HU)
AHEA conferences (US, HU)
HATOG conference (US)
Egyszólam music camp in Váralja (HU)
Visszidens meeting (HU),
.... and lectures at several festivals and venues listed above.
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Also contact us here if you're interested in scheduling a class, workshop, or presentation for your community, chorus, or event.
