The Pannon Gypsy Orchestra has represented the classical large-orchestra tradition of Hungarian Gypsy music since 2006. Its musicians carry forward the genre’s authenticity, communal strength and vitality on stage in Hungary and abroad.
For us, tradition is not a closed past but a living language: a shared heritage that can speak to audiences and to the next generation of musicians.
Meet the Orchestra
Forty musicians, several generations, one shared sound. In the Pannon Gypsy Orchestra, the artistry of the masters of Hungarian Gypsy music meets the energy of a new generation of talent.
Orchestra Leadership
Portraits
Baranyai Lajos
Clarinet, Tárogató – President
Clarinet and tárogató player, founder and leader of the Pannon Cigányzenekar. He joined the Rajkó Orchestra at the age of fourteen and became a soloist shortly afterwards. During a career spanning several decades, he has performed in numerous countries and shared the stage with many outstanding figures of Hungarian Roma music.
Profile
Kónyai Flórián
Violin – Vice President
A versatile violinist whose musical career embraces classical music, jazz and popular music as well as the musical traditions of the Balkans. He regularly appears on Hungarian and international stages and in theatre and concert productions. He plays in the first violin section of the Pannon Cigányzenekar and also serves as Vice President of the orchestra.
Profile
Kiss Zsuzsanna
Cello – Secretary
Cellist and secretary of the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra. She has played the cello since the age of six and also plays the piano and flute. She has been a member of the ensemble almost since its foundation.
ProfileMasters of Tradition
Primás (Lead Violinists)
Puka Károly
Principal Prímás
Puka Károly is an outstanding primás of Hungarian Roma music, winner of the 1984 Primás Competition and recipient of the Gold Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary. Throughout his decades-long career, he has represented the tradition of Hungarian Roma music on numerous stages across Europe and America. Today he serves as Chief Primás of the Pannon Cigányzenekar.
Profile
Budai Sándor
Conductor – Prímás
Budai Sándor is a primás (lead violinist), violinist and former member of the Rajkó Ensemble and the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble. Over a career spanning several decades, he has performed at prestigious venues around the world and gained extensive experience in Hungarian Gypsy music, classical music, folk music and world music.
Profile
Berki László
Concertmaster – Prímás
A primás of Hungarian Gypsy music with more than four decades of international performing experience. A former musician and concertmaster of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, the Budapest State Dance Ensemble and the 100-Member Gypsy Orchestra, he has served as concertmaster of the Pannon Cigányzenekar since 2024.
Profile
Farkis Béla
Prímás
Born in Keszthely, Farkis Béla is a violinist carrying forward the musical heritage of a family tradition spanning several generations. He studied at the Bartók Conservatory in Budapest and later earned his degree in violin performance at the University of Pécs. Alongside an international performing career, both classical music and Hungarian Gypsy music remain defining elements of his artistry.
Profile
Lakatos Vilmos
Prímás
Former lead primás of the Rajkó Orchestra and a violinist honoured with both the Hungarian Silver and Gold Crosses of Merit. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has represented the traditions of Hungarian Roma music and operetta in numerous countries around the world.
Profile
Tabányi Antal
Prímás
A prímás born in Szolnok who began learning the violin from his father and later studied with Somorjai Gábor. Six months after joining the Rajkó Orchestra, he was chosen as lead prímás of the ensemble of the youngest students.
ProfileFirst Violins
Hegedűs Zsuzsanna
Violin
A former member of the Rajkó Orchestra and the Budapest 100 Gypsy Orchestra. After 35 years in Spain as a performing musician and music teacher, she returned to Hungary in 2026 and joined the Pannon Cigányzenekar.
Profile
Bujkáné Vámosi Alíz
Violin
An experienced first violinist who has performed with several major orchestras. Together with her husband, János Bujka, she continues their shared musical journey as a member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar.
Profile
Farkas Antal
Violin
Born in Győr in 1969 into a family of musicians, Farkas Antal began his musical studies in his hometown before continuing his education for eight years with the Rajkó Orchestra. Throughout his career, he has performed at numerous prestigious venues and made many appearances abroad. Today, he is a violinist with the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra.
Profile
Csanya János
Violin
Csanya János has played the violin since the age of six. He studied at a music school and later continued his musical education within the Rajkó Orchestra and Talentum environment. With his own ensemble, he has performed throughout Europe, America and Asia, appearing in prestigious hotels, restaurants, on luxury cruise ships and in concert halls.
Profile
Patai Zoltán
Violin
Patai Zoltán is a prímás who combines the traditions of Hungarian café-style Gypsy music with extensive international experience and remarkable stylistic versatility. He has performed throughout Europe, the United States and North Africa, with a repertoire ranging from Hungarian nóta and csárdás to operetta, film music and Manouche jazz.
Profile
Váradi Gyula
Violin
Winner of his age category in Virtuózok 2016, Gyula Váradi has performed on national and international concert stages from a young age. Today, he brings his classical training and virtuoso violin playing to the first violin section of the Pannon Cigányzenekar.
Profile
Bakró József
Violin
A primás from a Szeged family of musicians, Bakró József spent fourteen years with the Rajkó Orchestra. Throughout his decades-long career, he has represented the Hungarian Roma musical tradition both on the concert stage and in traditional restaurant music. Today, he is the primás of the Kiskőrössy Halászcsárda in Szeged.
Profile
Oláh János
Violin
A violinist with more than twenty years of professional experience on Hungarian and international stages. He spent more than thirteen years performing aboard Costa Cruises ships, and his repertoire ranges from classical music and jazz to pop, crossover and international entertainment music.
ProfileSecond Violins
Oláh Károly “Popper”
Violin
Oláh Károly is a violinist born in Jászberény who began his professional career with the Rajkó Orchestra and later performed with the Honvéd Artistic Ensemble. His musical career has taken him from America to Japan, China and Cuba, representing Hungarian musical culture before international audiences.
Profile
Dombi Rajmund
Violin
A violinist with the Győr Philharmonic Orchestra who combines his classical career with the musical heritage of his family as a member of the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra.
Profile
Dankó Richárd Lajos
Violin
A composer, violinist, pianist and conductor. In 2024, he earned his composition diploma at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. At his graduation concert, the Danubia Symphony Orchestra premiered his symphonic poem TINTI under the baton of Serei Zsolt. He has received awards in Hungarian and international composition competitions; his works encompass chamber music, choral works and orchestral compositions.
Profile
Kardos László
Violin
Kardos László is a primás and orchestra leader with a professional career spanning more than four decades. Alongside renowned restaurants in Budapest and the Lake Balaton region, he has performed in Germany and London, and from 1997 to 2016 he was a member of the 100-member Gypsy Orchestra.
Profile
Villányi László
Violin
Lead primás of the Kisrajkó Orchestra and a student of Sándor Budai and László Berki Jr. Representing the new generation of musicians, he also performs regularly throughout Hungary with his own ensemble.
ProfileCimbalom Players
Czutor Róbert
Cimbalom
A cimbalom artist from Szeged and member of a multi-generational musical family. His career has taken him from the Rajkó Orchestra through the Budapest Dance Ensemble and the 100-Member Gypsy Orchestra to the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, working with many outstanding figures of Hungarian folk and traditional Gypsy music along the way.
Profile
Seres József
Cimbalom
A cimbalom player trained with the Rajkó Orchestra, Seres József has performed at such renowned venues as Mátyás Pince and Gundel Restaurant. As a member of the Tordai Zoltán Quintet, he appears at Hungarian song evenings, cultural events and in programmes broadcast by Dankó Rádió.
Profile
Csürkös Kovács Ferenc
Cimbalom
Csürkös Kovács Ferenc comes from a musical family whose traditions span several generations and has been an active musician since 1975. He adopted the name “Csürkös” in memory of his great-grandfather. In 1978, he successfully completed his professional qualification examination, and today he continues his musical career of more than five decades as a cimbalom player with the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra.
ProfileViolas
Dani János
Viola
A Category A-rated professional musician with more than four decades of international stage experience. He began his career with the Rajkó Orchestra in 1977. He is a member of Jordi Savall’s “Balkan Spirit” project and a regular contributor to Swing à la Django.
Profile
Váradi Csaba “Brunner”‘
Viola
Váradi Csaba “Brunner” is a viola player with 48 years of musical experience. He received his musical training with the Rajkó Orchestra. Music has accompanied him throughout his life – alongside his wife, of course.
Profile
Bóni Lajos
Viola
A violist with more than six decades of professional experience and the eldest member of the multi-generational Bóni musical family. Throughout his career, he has performed in many of the world's prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, the Wiener Musikverein and the Sydney Opera House. He remains an active and enthusiastic musician to this day.
Profile
Jónás Gábor
Viola
A violist and guitarist from a musical family in Balassagyarmat, Jónás Gábor laid the foundations of his professional career with the Rajkó Orchestra. With more than three decades of performing experience, he has played in Hungary, Canada and numerous other countries. He has been a member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar since 2023.
Profile
Berki László, jr.
Viola
A graduate violist and music educator who combines his classical training with the musical tradition inherited from his family. Alongside his experience with symphony orchestras, he is committed as an educator to passing musical knowledge and values on to the next generation.
Profile
Pota Zsolt
Viola
Pota Zsolt is a violist who has been a professional musician since the age of 17. For more than twenty years he performed as a principal violist in renowned ensembles, representing the tradition of Hungarian Gypsy music at numerous performances in Hungary and abroad.
Profile
Dani János, jr.
Viola
A violinist, violist, guitarist, composer and arranger with a 25-year professional career. He is a core member of Swing à la Django, the solo guitarist in Bangó Margit’s regular band, and the founder of the Dani János Trió. With Swing à la Django, he performs on guitar and violin and also works as a composer and arranger.
ProfileCellos
Horváth Károly
Cello
An accomplished cellist whose outstanding competition successes began in childhood, including first prizes at Ki mit tud? and the Antal Friss National Cello Competition. As a soloist, he has performed throughout Europe as well as in Australia and China, while music education and supporting young people remain important parts of his artistic work.
ProfileWind Instruments
Seres Vilmos
Clarinet, Tárogató
A versatile representative of Hungarian Roma music, soloist of the Rajkó Orchestra and founding member of Swing à la Django. As both performer and teacher, he passes his decades of artistic experience on to the next generation.
Profile
Bujka János
Clarinet, Tárogató
Clarinet and tárogató artist and saxophonist from a distinguished musical family. He joined the Rajkó Orchestra in 1985, later spent ten years with the orchestra of Sándor Járóka Jr., and served for twenty years as deputy section leader of the 100-member Gypsy Orchestra. His career has taken him to every continent. Today, he is a member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar together with his wife, Alíz Vámosi, and their son, Leonardo Bujka.
Profile
Bangó Lajos
Clarinet
A clarinettist from a renowned musical family in Gödöllő, Bangó Lajos joined the world-famous Rajkó Orchestra in 1975. He remained with the ensemble for twelve years, studied under Farkas Gyula, and performed with the Rajkó Orchestra in numerous countries around the world.
ProfileDouble Basses
Farkas Sándor
Double Bass
Farkas Sándor began his musical studies with the Rajkó Orchestra in 1976. During his career, he performed in the orchestras of Ernő Kállai Kiss and Sándor Lakatos and later spent thirteen years as a musician at the Mágnáskert Restaurant. Today, he is the principal double bassist of the Pannon Cigányzenekar.
Profile
Maka Gyula
Double Bass
Former member of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble and a founding member of the 100-Member Gypsy Orchestra, where he was a prominent double bassist for almost four decades. Recipient of the Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit and the Dankó Pista Lifetime Achievement Award.
Profile
Fehér Ernő
Double Bass
A versatile double bassist who completed his musical studies in Budapest and has performed throughout his career in restaurants, hotels and on concert stages both in Hungary and abroad.
Profile
Rácz István
Double Bass
A double bassist with nearly three decades of professional experience, whose formative years included performing at Budapest’s historic Hotel Gellért under the guidance of József Parádi Sr. and József Parádi Jr.
Profile
Rákóczi Béla
Double Bass
A founding member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, Rákóczi Béla began his musical career as a clarinettist before dedicating himself to the double bass. For the past twenty years, he has performed with Lajos Baranyai’s orchestra on stages in Hungary and abroad.
ProfileVoices of the Future
Primás (Lead Violinists)
Gabora Horváth László
Prímás
A distinctive violinist of the younger generation of Hungarian Gypsy musicians and winner of the 2021 Balatonfüred Prímás Competition. He represents the tradition of Hungarian Gypsy music on international stages from Europe to America and Israel.
ProfileFirst Violins
Bujka Leonardo
Violin
A solo violinist representing the young generation of the Pannon Cigányzenekar. Leonardo comes from a musical family, and his parents, Bujka János and Vámosi Alíz, are also members of the orchestra. He is currently completing his studies at the Bartók Béla Conservatory of Music and performs as a soloist as well as in chamber ensembles and orchestras.
ProfileWind Instruments
Seres Vilmos, jr.
Clarinet
A young talent representing a new generation of Hungarian Roma musicians. He has already achieved notable results in national clarinet competitions while also carrying forward the tárogató tradition passed on to him by his father, Seres Vilmos.
ProfileDouble Basses
Kökény Tamás
Double Bass
Winner of the 2016 classical music talent show “Virtuózok”, Kökény Tamás is a versatile double bassist whose musical world ranges from classical music and jazz to authentic traditional music, film scores and pop. Throughout his career, he has performed at prestigious venues in Hungary and around the world, including New York’s Carnegie Hall.
Profile