The Fonó Folk Band
The members of the Fonó Folk Band have been working together since 1997 in Budapest. Band members are devoted to the performance, teaching and researching of authentic folk music at a professional level. Their musical repertoire consists primarily of instrumental and vocal folk music and true-to-tradition arrangements of the instrumental and vocal folk music of the peoples of the Carpathian Basin.
Fonó musicians also deal with research and fieldwork in ethnomusicology and apply the experience and information gained in the shaping of their musical image. Experiencing and collecting the music of authentic village musicians (drawing from the ancient source) has enabled them to transform this energy into high quality performance perceivable on their recordings and concert tours. The Fonó Folk Band stands apart from other folk bands in Hungary with the rich sound achieved by the variety of instruments and masterful method of playing. In addition, audiences can enjoy not only Hungarian folk music at their concerts but exceptional interpretations of the authentic folk music of other ethnic groups in the region (Slovakian, Romanian, Jewish, Gypsy, Ruthenian and Croatian). Members of the Band individually and as a whole also venture into other musical genres and can be heard on numerous recordings in cooperation with artists of classical, modern jazz, pop, world music.
The members of the Fonó Folk band:
 Andrea Navratil |  Gergely Agócs |
 Tamás Gombai |
 István Pál "Szalonna" |
 Sándor D. Tóth |
 Bálint Tárkány-Kovács |
Zsolt Kürtösi
double bass, cello, accordion
Upon request concert performances can be complemented by short dance performances (i.e. one or two professional dance couples) or “táncház”-style dance party with the involvement of the audience.
The Fonó Folk Band also gives “Educational Concerts” (recommended for children aged 8-12) where children can become familiar with the characteristic instruments and melodies of traditional music in the Carpathian Basin. For secondary school or university students with some musical background “Folk Music for Students” is a presentation of the development of Central European folk music and depicts the reciprocal effects of composed music and folk music on each other through the various periods of European art history. The Fonó Folk Band also provides instruction for aspiring young musicians in the form of folk music workshops and musician courses (i.e. the musical direction of the Folk Music Camp sponsored by the Association for Hungarian Folklore in Slovakia).
Discography:
Sok szép napot éjszakával [All the good days and nights]
Honvéd Ensemble production, Bp.) 1998.
Árgyélus kismadár [The Little Bird Árgyélus]
Hungarian folk music from Southern Slovakia (with Gyöngyi Écsi)
(Fonó Records, Bp), 2000
Musique de danse Hongroise
Anthology of Hungarian folk music (Buda Musique, Párizs), 2001
Mixtura Cultivalis
Folk music from the Carpathian Basin (Fonó Records, Bp), 2002
Other Side
Art Music and its Folk Roots with Vilmos Szabadi and Márta Gulyás
(Hungaroton Classic, Bp.), 2004
Hateha
Hungarian Dance House Music (Fonó Records)
Wildbaroque
Living tradition of baroque music in the Carpethian Basin
(Fonó Music Hall), 2012
Recent Major Concert Performances
Photos
(Click to enlarge!)
Videos
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| Két gyönyörű népdal Kalotaszegről | 1. Széki 1/2 | Vadbarokk stúdiófelvétel "Bach legényese" |
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| Kalotaszegi muzsika | Botalávaló juhásznóták Gömörből | Csejtei István dallamai |
Homepage
http://www.fonozenekar.hu