Founded in 2014 under the direction of saxophonist and composer Bálint Bársony, the Hungarian Rhapsody Project aims to strengthen national identity and pay tribute to Hungary’s great composers and folk song collectors.
Blending traditional instruments of the Carpathian Basin with modern musical elements, the ensemble creates an exceptional sonic world where past and present interplay. Under the direction of Fonogram and Erkel Award-winning saxophonist and composer Bálint Bársony, the band has released two albums, sixteen music videos and five concert films over the past ten years, while regularly performing at cultural events in Hungary, and internationally.
Their programme “The Sounds of the Silk Road” takes the audience on a musical mystery tour traversing the cultural tightrope between East and West. The concert evokes the melodies and rhythms that once accompanied caravans along the ancient trade routes – connecting cultures, peoples, and traditions through a shared musical experience.
Special guest: Gergely Agócs – folk musician, ethnomusicologist, Meritorious Artist of Hungary
Band members:
Norbert Elek – piano, vocals, hurdy-gurdy, ancient drums (arranger for Oscar-winning films, composer of The Fireworks)
Attila Rieger – guitar, vocals, kobza (Fonogram Award-winning jazz guitarist and teacher)
László Máthe – bass guitar, violin, double bass, vocals (Prima Primissima Award-winning artist and teacher)
Gergely Tar – percussion, hang, ancient drums, vocals (Fonogram Award-winning percussionist, Hungary’s most in-demand session player)
Tamás Hidász – drums, vocals (award-winning jazz drummer, multiple first prizes at international competitions, teacher)
Venue in the case of rain: Event Hall
