Winners of the Kossuth Prize this year, the Vujicsics Ensemble was formed in Pomáz in 1974 and has strived to preserve the musical traditions of Hungary’s Southern Slav minority ever since, continuing the work of Tihamér Vujicsics, the composer and folk music researcher who perished tragically in an air crash in 1975. Its initial launch was helped not only by the flowering of the dance house movement at the time, but also by the care taken by the Serb minority in surrounding villages to preserve their religious, linguistic and musical traditions. Vujicsics chose to both safeguard and adapt these traditions; in other words, rather than entirely reinterpreting the Southern Slav musical tradition, they have passed it on in a way that makes it enjoyable and accessible to all regardless of their ethnic background.
The band released its first album entitled Vujicsics Ensemble in 1981, which was followed by Serb and Croat Folk Music, Samo sviraj, Vujicsics 25 and Podravina, while their playing has accompanied numerous theatre performances and film soundtracks. Of the seven musicians in the current line-up, four are founder members of the ensemble, so their concerts exude an exceptional sense of ease and familiarity. With their authentic performance style, traditional instruments and irresistible aura, the group dazzles audiences every time they take the stage, but even those who have followed their progress throughout have some surprises in store at this 40th anniversary jubilee concert. The collaboration of Levente Szörényi (ex-Illés) and László Tolcsvay means this concert promises to be a long-awaited encounter demonstrating the Vujicsics Ensemble was quite right to sense that the melodies of Illés and Tolcsvay were crying out for tamburicas, accordion and violin.

Presented by: Palace of Arts