Resources
& Friends
We continually add to this ever-growing resource guide, so please contact us with any additions, corrections, or suggestions!
We are also seeking financial support to transform it into a substantial, accessible information and resource center, so please share those ideas with us as well. Thank you!
If you are outside of Hungary, please also peruse the "In Hungary" column, as many of those resources can be accessed from abroad - whether digital folk recording archives, stores which ship internationally, or online listening ideas.
In Hungary:
❖ Folk Music Institutions (schools, research bodies)
❖ Archives of village recordings
❖ Folk Music & Dance Event Calendars
❖ Folk singing circles and teaching in Budapest
Folk Music Institutions:
(Óbuda Hungarian Folk Music School)
(Hungarian Heritage House, Budapest)
Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, Zenetudományi Intézet
(Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Musicology)
(Liszt Academy of Music, Folk Music Department)
(Fonó Music Hall)
Háló Közösségi és Kulturális Központ - S4
(Háló Community and Cultural Center - S4)
Archives (databases of field recordings, source recordings of village singers):
Click "keresés" to search.
Includes distinct archives of Béla Bartók's collections, Zoltán Kodály's collections, Zoltán Kallós's collections, and all published source recordings (labeled "Publikált", everything published in various books, CDs, and anthologies), as well as a list of all publications which include source recordings.
A new searchable website which includes the above holdings from ZTI and more, in one central place. Bilingual and can also be searched using a map function. As an unedited archive, not all recordings have been peer-reviewed for quality and not all songs have complete collection information entered. Some long recordings have not yet been cropped to individual songs, but individual songs are still searchable by first line or other parameters.
Hungarian Heritage House Archive
In Hungarian, English, and Romanian.
Hungarian Folk Music & Dance Ensembles:
Bay Area
Zina Bozzay (Hungarian folk singer)
Vadalma (band, Hungarian folk song arrangements)
Hungarian Folk Singing Circle (Hungarian folk song teaching)
Danubius (band, music of Eastern Europe)
Aranykapu Band (band, Hungarian folk music)
Ferenc Tobak (Hungarian bagpiper, instrument builder, researcher)
Performs with Lilla Serlegi and family
Eszterlánc Hungarian Folk Ensemble (dance ensemble)
Todd & Sarah Wagner's folk dance teaching in Menlo Park
North America
László Orbán and Forrás Banda (Vancouver/Seattle, band)
Kárpátok Hungarian Folk Ensemble (Los Angeles, dance)
Fényes Banda (New York City, band)
Életfa (New York/New Jersey, band)
Gyanta Hungarian Folk Ensemble (Toronto, Canada, band)
Kálmán Magyar Jr. "Öcsi" (violinist)
Csűrdöngölő Hungarian Folk Ensemble (New Jersey, dance)
Tisza (Washington D.C. area, dance)
Szikra (Washington D.C. area, band)
Magnólia Zenekar (Washington D.C. area, band)
Szászka (Minnesota, band)
Folk Music & Dance Event Calendars
The most central place to look for folk music and dance events, listed in one place, is Folknaptár.
Folknaptár website / Folknaptár Facebook
tanchaz.hu (for regular weekly táncház, folk dance parties)
Some venues which host folk music events regularly:
-
Hagyományok Háza (Hungarian Heritage House) (Note that the Hungarian version of the site has more current events than the English version.)
-
Háló (S4)
-
Lumen Kavézó
-
Rácskert
-
Marczibányi tér
-
......... and many more!
Annual events
February/March - Busójárás, Mohács
April - Táncháztalálkozó (National Táncház Festival & Fair), Budapest
June-August - Dozens of folk music/dance summer camps!
The Egyszólam camp in Váralja is excellent! (early July)
August - Mesterségek Ünnepe (Festival of Folk Arts), Budapest
Annual Events:
Hungarian Heritage Festival (Bay Area, CA) - mid-May
American Hungarian Educators Association (AHEA) Conference (different location each year) - May/June
Hungarian Festival (New Brunswick) - early June
Csipke Tábor (Michigan) - late June
Ti Ti Tábor (Raft Island, Washington State) - August
Organizations:
Hungarian Heritage Foundation of the San Francisco Bay Area
American Hungarian Foundation (AHF)
American Hungarian Educators Association (AHEA)
Hungary Initiatives Foundation
Embassy of Hungary in Washington D.C.
(there are also 15+ consulates in various cities)
Indiana University, Institute of Hungarian Studies
Balassi Institute in New York
Magtár - Hungarian Cultural Alliance, Los Angeles
Magyar Ház (Hungarian House), New York
Some current singing teaching for adults in Budapest
Please confirm schedule before attending!
All classes held in Hungarian unless otherwise noted, and typically do not run during the summer months. Check summer camps under event calendars for summer learning opportunities.
Óbuda Folk Music School
Current class for teens and adults ("Csütöri") is on Thursdays at 5pm, led by Éva Fábián. All songs are taught directly from source recordings, with ample background information. There are also opportunities to learn from Réka Annus, Boglárka Raksányi, and other singing teachers at the school.
Dúdoló
Led by Andrea Navratil, with printed song lyrics provided. Every other Wednesday at Háló Közösségi és Kulturális Központ (S4) in Budapest. Andrea also holds regular classes in Göd, Tihany, and other cities.
Kertész Nótakör
Every Tuesday at Klisé Bár.
Hungarian Folk Singing Classes IN ENGLISH
Led by Zina Bozzay. All songs taught directly from source recordings, with printed song lyrics, English translations, and background information. Hosted at the Hungarian Heritage House, Háló Cultural Center, Óbuda Folk Music School, and other locations. Upcoming classes listed here.
Hungarian Heritage House
Occasional singing courses, particularly designed for teachers - check website for current offerings.
Liszt Academy of Music, Folk Music Department
While designed only for current students, sometimes individual arrangements can be made to attend folk singing courses at the Liszt Academy.
Táncház
Song teaching often happens at táncház, typically earlier in the evening for 15-30 minutes before the dancing, such as at Fonó and the Hungarian Heritage House. See events calendars above.
Email lists, social media, finding communities:
Katalin Vörös's Berkeley Magyarok Mailing List
Hungarian Scouts / Magyar Cserkészszövetség
Facebook groups:
Hungarians in San Francisco and the Bay Area
Hungarians in the West Coast / Magyarok a nyugati parton
Hungarians in British Columbia
Hungarian Club of Portland
SF Hungarian Parents
Hungarians on the facebook
Hungarian Treasures
Magyar Cserkészek (Hungarian Scouts)
Magyarok Amerikában - Hungarian Hub
... and many others!
Search by your city and region!
There are also Meetup groups in various cities.
A few singers and bands ~ not all have as much of a web presence as others! Having or not having a website or youtube videos doesn't necessarily reflect quality. Names are in Hungarian name order (family name first).
Singers:
Fábián Éva
Nyitrai Marianna
Sebestyén Márta
Navratil Andrea
Agócs Gergely
Berecz András
Palya Bea
Szalóki Ági
Sebő Ferenc
Bardosi Ildikó
Havay Viktória
Tintér Gabriella
Enyedi Ágnes
Bognár Szilvia
Herczku Ágnes
... and many more!
Bands:
Egyszólam
Kalamajka
Muzsikás
Fonó Zenekar
Üsztürü Zenekar
Csürrentő Együttes
Fakutya Együttes
Tallabille
Pendely Énekegyüttes
Dűvő
... and many more!
Eastern European Folk Music in the Bay Area/US:
Kitka Women's Vocal Ensemble (Bay Area)
East European Folklife Center (National, Bay Area-based)
Bulgarian / Balkan Music Dance and Events (BBMDE) (Bay Area-based yahoo group email list)
Publications
Coming soon!
TV / Radio:
Folkrádió (folk music radio station, can be listened to internationally on their website, and includes information on tracks played and song lyrics!)
Fölszállott a páva (Hungarian folk music/dance TV competition)
Stores in Budapest (some have online stores and ship internationally):
(Previously Mesterporta sold folk music CDs, books, magazines, and miscellany next to the Hagyományok Háza, but it is currently closed.)
Fonó (CD store is open during events held at Fonó, and they also have a webshop)
A.Folk Népzenei Hangszerbolt (folk instrument store)
Néptáncosok Kellékboltja (folk clothing and dance shoe store, which has expanded to include a substantial book collection and other items -- you can order from their online store and they are able to ship internationally)
Folk music CDs are also available through Lemezei.hu (Mezei Péter) at major markets and festivals in Budapest throughout the year, including the seasonal markets at Vörösmarty tér (such as the winter market), Mesterségek Ünnepe (in August), Táncháztalálkozó (in April)