Our Music Instructors for 2018
For our 2018 Camp we are pleased to welcome members of Bazseva Zenekar with special guests László (Laci) Orbán!
About the band
The authentic translation of playing music is bazseval, hence the name of the band. This group of young musicians formed a band with the mission to show the audience that Hungarian folk music can’t be forgotten and will never be on the dusty shelves.
The members of the band are currently active in the Budapest’s music scene with the responsibility to maintain and share the Hungarian folklore heritage while maintaining their youthful modern appearance.
Tamás NyitraiTamás Nyitrai was born in Budapest in 1987. He became connected with Hungarian music when he was six years old at a family camp. Because of that experience, he became a pupil at the Erna Czövek Music School (Czövek Erna Zeneiskola) in Budakeszi. After he graduated, he enrolled in the Nyíregyház College in the discipline of singing and music as well as folk music. In 2007, he became a student in the newly established Department of Folk Music at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Liszt Ferenc Zeneművészeti Egyetem). There he received a diploma in performance and teaching. After receiving his diploma, he taught at several schools. At present, he is a member of band of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble (Magyar Állami Népi Együttes). In addition to the Baszeva Band, he is a member or a participant in various configurations, participating in the work of dance ensembles, organizing and administering camps in Hungary and beyond. In 2011, he was recognized with Junior Príma status and, in 2012, he received the distinction of Young Master of Folk Arts (Népművészeti Ifjú Mestere). He views it important to interpret and to promote Hungarian folk music authentically.
András Bognár
András Bognár was born in 1983. He began to study music at the age of 4 under the mentorship of Pál Havasreti, first, in the framework of the Téka camps, later, as a student at the Óbuda Folk Music School (Óbudai Népzeneiskola). Already as a child, he felt a calling as a musician and as a faithful interpreter of folk music. In providing accompaniment to dance ensembles, he participated in numerous festivals in Hungary and beyond. He was a founding member of the Berkó Ensemble, afterward, from 2006, for seven years, a principal musician with the National Dance Ensemble (Nemzeti Táncegyüttes) and later with the Young Hearts Dance Theater of Felvidék (Ifjú Szívek Táncszsínház). In 2013 he was accepted at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Liszt Ferenc Zeneművészeti Egyetem) where he received my diploma in folk bass in 2016. He has been a member of numerous bands that played authentic folk music and world music. Between 2009 and 2015, he was recognized with Junior Príma status in the Tárkány Művek Band; from 2013 onward, he has been a member of the Bazseva Band, playing authentic Hungarian folk music; from 2015 onward, he has been a member of the Dresch String Quartet (Dresch Vonós Kvartett), of Esszencia and the Szeret Band led by Balázs Vizeli. He has participated in the making of many sound recordings and large productions.
Levente Garda, who hails from Marosvasarhely, Romania, one of the largest cities in Transylvania, is the son of a musician who used to play music for weddings in the villages surrounding that city. Since moving to Montreal during his teenage years, Levente has quickly risen to become one of the finest players in North America of the highly specialized and unique three-string and four-string viola instruments from Transylvania, also known as the “kontra.” He has studied with notable kontra experts, including Peter Arendas, Gergely Toth, and Szabolcs Hruz.
László (Laci) Orbán, Originally from Sófalva in Transylvania, “Laci” grew up immersed in the living folk culture of Székelyföld. He is an expert fiddler who has accompanied dozens of dance ensembles including the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble(Magyar Állami Népi Együttes) as well as performed concerts the world over establishing himself as a diverse and talented musician. He resides in the Seattle area and now splits his time between the US and Transylvania teaching violin.