Our Musicians

Puka Károly was born in Budapest on 28 July 1963, yet because of his strong family ties he also considers Makó, in southern Hungary, his hometown. His parents moved from Makó to the capital shortly before his birth, and he has continued to return regularly to the town, including for various musical events.

He comes from a distinguished family of musicians. His paternal grandfather, Puka Dezső, was a renowned cimbalom player, while his maternal grandfather, Genova (Lakatos) József, was a cellist. A love of music and musical talent were part of his family heritage, and his formal musical education began at an early age: from 1973 he studied with the Rajkó Orchestra.

He attended primary school in Budapest’s 8th district, at the school in Dugonics Street, and later graduated from the school of the Rajkó Orchestra of the KISZ Central Artistic Ensemble. His musical development was guided by distinguished teachers including Fátyol Tivadar, Hámori Teréz, Égerlant István and Farkas Gyula.

His exceptional talent became evident very early. In 1976, at just thirteen years of age, he became one of the leading primás violinists of the Rajkó Orchestra. With the ensemble he participated in numerous international tours, presenting the traditions of Hungarian Roma music to audiences throughout Europe and America.

A defining milestone in his career came in 1984, when he won the Roma Primás Competition held in Hungary, bringing him nationwide recognition. He subsequently left the Rajkó Orchestra and continued his career as a primás in Venice. For seven years he performed at the legendary Caffè Florian. After returning to Hungary, he continued his career at the New York Café in Budapest and later performed for thirteen years at the Király Restaurant.

One of the most remarkable international recognitions of his artistic career was a personal invitation from the world-renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin to perform at a concert in Switzerland. For Puka Károly, this was not only a significant professional honour but also an opportunity to represent Hungarian Roma music before an international audience.

His decades of artistic achievement have also received state recognition: he was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary. Over the course of his career, Puka Károly has become a prominent representative of the Hungarian Roma musical tradition. Today he continues this musical heritage as Chief Primás of the Pannon Cigányzenekar.

Budai Sándor, a primás (lead violinist) and violinist, was born in Budapest in 1965 into a family of musicians. He began playing the violin at the age of six and was admitted to the legendary Rajkó Ensemble in 1975, where he received training in classical, salon and Hungarian Gypsy music. His teachers included Gyula Farkas, Oszkár Losonczy-Sweitzer and Béla Székelyhidi.

Thanks to his exceptional talent, he became one of the Rajkó Ensemble’s lead violinists at the age of sixteen. As a young musician, he toured the world with the ensemble and performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, La Scala in Milan and the Sydney Opera House.

From 1985, he was a member of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble and later founded his own orchestra. During his career, he also worked abroad for extended periods and subsequently appeared on numerous European stages as a performer in André Heller’s large-scale Magneten Gipsy Show.

For many years, he performed alongside the world-renowned cimbalom player Kálmán Balogh in the Balogh Kálmán Gipsy Cimbalom Band, contributing to numerous concerts and recordings. A versatile musician, he is equally at home in traditional Hungarian Gypsy music, classical music, folk music and various forms of world music.

Throughout a career spanning several decades, Budai Sándor has remained a distinguished representative of Hungarian Gypsy music and the primás tradition.

László Berki was born in Budapest on 28 September 1965 into a distinguished musical family. His father, the late László Berki Sr., was a prominent figure in Hungarian folk and Gypsy music: from 1968 to 1997 he served as lead primás of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, and from 1985 to 1997 as artistic director of the 100-Member Gypsy Orchestra.

László Berki began playing the violin at the age of nine. After six years of music school and a further two years of advanced training, he was admitted in 1980 to the preparatory department of what was then the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, where he studied for two years.

His professional career began in 1982, when he joined the orchestra of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble as a violinist. In 1984 he entered “Vonópárbaj ’84”, a nationwide primás competition organised by Hungarian Television, where he achieved a podium finish.

In January 1985 he became lead primás of the Budapest State Dance Ensemble, a position he held until November 1989. He then returned to the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, serving as a section leader and deputy concertmaster until March 1997.

In 1985 he joined the newly established 100-Member Gypsy Orchestra as a founding member. He remained with the internationally renowned ensemble for almost four decades, until September 2023, first as a primás and later as concertmaster.

Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has performed in around 45 countries across all five continents. He has appeared in Japan eleven times and completed two three-month tours of the United States and Canada.

His artistry has been recognised with numerous honours, including the Silver Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary in 1995, the Lyra Award in 1999, the Dankó Pista Award in 2021 and the Lerner Award in 2024.

Since 2024, László Berki has served as a primás and concertmaster of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, bringing decades of international stage and orchestral experience to the ensemble’s artistic work.

Farkis Béla was born on 5 November 1986 in Keszthely into a family with a musical tradition spanning several generations. His father is a clarinettist and his grandfather was a primás, making music a natural part of his life from early childhood. He developed a particular interest in the violin at a young age and began his formal musical studies when he was seven.

At the age of fourteen, he was admitted to the Bartók Conservatory in Budapest. He later continued his studies at the University of Pécs, where he earned his degree in violin performance. Alongside his classical training, the tradition of Hungarian Gypsy music inherited from his family has always remained an important part of his musical identity.

Throughout his career, Farkis Béla has performed in numerous countries around the world, both as a member of various ensembles and as a soloist. His artistry naturally brings together classical violin playing and the rich tradition of Hungarian Gypsy music.

He has also achieved notable success as a primás. At the Balatonfüred Primás Competition, he received special prizes in 2017 and 2019 and achieved a shared second place in 2021. He is also active in classical chamber music and has performed as first violinist of the Goldmark Quartet.

Lakatos Vilmos was born in 1971 and began playing the violin at the age of five. His talent became evident at an early age: in 1981 he joined the world-renowned Rajkó Orchestra, where he later became a primás and eventually its lead primás. During his years with the ensemble, he completed his musical studies and performed with the Rajkó Orchestra in numerous countries around the world, representing the rich tradition of Hungarian Roma music.

In 1994, he passed the professional examination for performing musicians with the highest “A” classification. His years with the Rajkó Orchestra, where he remained until 1997, laid the foundations for his subsequent career as a primás, violinist and orchestra leader.

For six years, he performed as primás at Budapest’s Hotel Taverna. With his own trio, he gave concerts in countries including Japan, Italy, Thailand and Sweden. One particularly distinctive achievement of his career was arranging Emmerich Kálmán’s celebrated operetta The Csárdás Princess for a traditional Gypsy orchestra. He later also served as orchestra leader at Budapest’s historic Mátyás Pince.

His artistic career has been recognised with several prestigious national and professional honours. In 2012, he received the Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit, followed by the Dankó Pista Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. In 2024, he was awarded the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit.

Today, Lakatos Vilmos continues his decades-long artistic career as a member of the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra. His playing combines the traditions of the Rajkó school, the heritage of the great Hungarian primás tradition and the experience gained over decades of performing on international stages.

Tabányi Antal was born in Szolnok on 26 April 1956. His father was a leading musician in Szolnok County and gave him his first violin lessons.

He later studied with Somorjai Gábor, who taught him the basics of reading music. He continued his musical training in the Rajkó Orchestra.

Six months after joining the Rajkó Orchestra, his teacher in the Rajkó Orchestra chose him as lead prímás of the ensemble of the youngest students. This was an important step at the beginning of his musical career.Tabányi Antal was born in Szolnok on 26 April 1956. His father was a leading musician in Szolnok County and gave him his first violin lessons.

He later studied with Somorjai Gábor, who taught him the basics of reading music. He continued his musical training in the Rajkó Orchestra.

Six months after joining the Rajkó Orchestra, his teacher in the Rajkó Orchestra chose him as lead prímás of the ensemble of the youngest students. This was an important step at the beginning of his musical career.

Zsuzsanna Hegedűs has been surrounded by the sound of the violin and a love of music since childhood. She began playing the violin at the age of six under the guidance of her grandfather. Her talent was recognised early: at the age of nine, she was admitted to the Rajkó Orchestra, where she received her musical education and later completed her secondary school studies.

As a student of Gyula Farkas, she was introduced to international concert life at a young age, performing with the Rajkó Orchestra in numerous countries around the world. She later continued her career for five years as a member of the Budapest 100 Gypsy Orchestra.

In 1991, she moved to Spain, where she performed as a musician in hotels and at a wide variety of events. Her dedication to music also led her to teaching: in 2020, she opened a private music school, where she taught violin and solfège to beginners. During her decades in Spain, she also mastered the Spanish language and now speaks it at a native level.

After 35 years abroad, Zsuzsanna Hegedűs returned to Hungary in 2026. She now continues her musical career as a member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, bringing with her the experience gained with the Rajkó Orchestra and the Budapest 100 Gypsy Orchestra, as well as decades of international performing experience.

She is a violinist who, after completing her college-level music studies, gained extensive experience as a first violinist in several major orchestras. Hungarian Gypsy music and ensemble playing have remained defining elements of her artistic career.

Her musical journey is closely intertwined with that of her husband, clarinet and tárogató player János Bujka. Both performed with the 100-Member Gypsy Orchestra, where shared concerts and international appearances became part of their artistic lives. Today, this musical partnership continues in the Pannon Cigányzenekar: Alíz as a first violinist and her husband as a clarinet and tárogató player.

Vámosi Alíz is currently a dedicated and experienced member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar. Her playing combines many years of orchestral experience with a deep connection to the tradition of Hungarian Gypsy music.

Farkas Antal was born in Győr in 1969 into a family of musicians. Music was an important part of his life from an early age, and he began studying the violin in his hometown.

He was later admitted to the renowned Rajkó Orchestra, where he continued his musical education for eight years. These formative years played an important role in his artistic development and provided a strong foundation for his subsequent career as a musician.

After completing his studies, he performed at numerous prestigious restaurants and entertainment venues. Throughout his career, he also made many appearances abroad, gaining several decades of extensive performing and stage experience.

Today, Farkas Antal is a violinist with the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra, contributing his musical knowledge and many years of performing experience to the ensemble.

Csanya János was born in 1973. He discovered the violin and the world of music at the age of six, and music soon became his lifelong vocation. He began his musical education at a music school and later continued his studies within the renowned Rajkó Orchestra and Talentum environment.

During his years with the Rajkó Orchestra, he took part in numerous performances in Hungary as well as concerts abroad. This period not only laid the foundations for his further development as a musician but also gave him valuable experience on international stages from an early age.

He later founded his own ensemble, with which he has performed in numerous European countries as well as in America and Asia. His career has taken him to prestigious hotels and restaurants, luxury cruise ships and concert halls around the world. He has also performed extensively throughout Hungary.

Over the course of his decades-long career, Csanya János has represented the tradition of Hungarian Gypsy music in a wide variety of settings – from the intimate atmosphere of traditional restaurant music to international concert stages. He remains an active musician today, preserving and sharing the musical culture that has accompanied him since childhood.

Patai Zoltán has been playing the violin since the age of six. After completing his classical music studies, he successfully passed his professional performing examination at Hungary’s National Centre for Entertainment Music in 1989. Throughout his career, he has performed at numerous well-known restaurants and traditional venues in and around Budapest, including Trófea, Rézkakas, the Wine Museum and Open-Air Museum in Szentendre, Megyeri Csárda, Kulacs Restaurant, the New York Café and the historic Százéves Restaurant.

Since the age of twenty, he has also performed extensively abroad. His musical career has taken him to Belgium, Germany, the United States, Morocco, Italy, Switzerland, England, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, among other countries. For nearly eight years he performed at the Atelier de la Grande Île restaurant in Brussels, where he also had the opportunity to play together with world-renowned violinist Maxim Vengerov. During his years abroad, he has always considered it important to promote Hungarian culture and the tradition of Hungarian café-style Gypsy music.

His musical interests, however, extend far beyond the traditional repertoire. Through the Patai Gipsy Band and the Brooklyn Gipsy Band, he strives to combine the traditions of Hungarian Gypsy music with the expectations of contemporary audiences. Alongside Hungarian songs, folk songs and csárdás, his repertoire includes Strauss waltzes, selections from operettas and musicals, film music, and both classic and contemporary Hungarian popular songs. Jazz is another particular passion of his, especially the Manouche jazz tradition associated with Django Reinhardt.

In 2017, his original composition “Walking in the Garden” won the Audience Award in the Jazzy Rádió song competition. The composition subsequently continued to receive airplay on the station.

Patai Zoltán has appeared several times as a guest prímás on Duna Television’s popular programme “Jó ebédhez szól a nóta”. Despite the breadth of his repertoire, Hungarian nóta, folk songs and csárdás remain at the heart of his music, and his playing consciously preserves the traditions of the classic Hungarian café orchestra.

His musical philosophy places the audience at its centre: entertaining his guests is always his foremost priority. For him, music is much more than a profession – his work is also his hobby.

Gyula Váradi began studying the violin at the age of seven at the Tóth Aladár Music School in Budapest, where he studied under Éva Ácsné Szily. His exceptional talent became evident at an early age: at thirteen, he was admitted to the Special School for Exceptional Young Talents of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music.

As a young violinist, he successfully participated in numerous national and international violin competitions, winning several first prizes. An important milestone in his career came in 2016, when he won the “Adults” age category of Virtuózok, Hungary’s classical music talent show, earning a place in the live grand final.

His success on Virtuózok opened the door to further major performance opportunities. In August 2016, he performed at the Papp László Budapest Sport Arena under the baton of Plácido Domingo. In November of the same year, he had another opportunity to perform with the world-renowned artist in New York.

Since then, Gyula Váradi has appeared in numerous concert halls across Europe and America. His playing brings together his strong classical training and the traditions of Hungarian Roma music. As a member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, he performs in the orchestra’s first violin section.

Bakró József was born in Szeged in 1968 into a family of musicians. Music was a natural part of his life from childhood, and at an early age his career became connected with one of the best-known institutions of Hungarian Roma music, the Rajkó Orchestra.

In 1981, at just thirteen years of age, he joined the Rajkó Orchestra, where he spent fourteen years as a primás, or lead violinist. These formative years laid the foundations for his later career: ensemble playing, the distinctive role and responsibility of the primás, and the traditional performance style of Hungarian Roma music all became integral parts of his musical identity.

A new chapter began in 1995, when he became primás at the Töki Csárda in the Zsámbék–Tök area, where he performed for twelve years. He later returned to his native Szeged. Since then, he has been the primás of the renowned Kiskőrössy Halászcsárda, where he continues to perform regularly today.

His career spanning several decades reflects the living continuity of the Hungarian Roma musical tradition, from the concert stages of the Rajkó Orchestra to the intimate world of traditional csárda music. As a member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, he contributes his extensive experience as a primás and represents a musical tradition passed down through generations.

Oláh János was born in Balassagyarmat in 1985. He has been active as a violinist for more than twenty years, gaining extensive experience on both Hungarian and international stages. Throughout his career, he has performed at numerous events, hotels, restaurants, aboard cruise ships and at exclusive functions, both as a member of various ensembles and as a soloist.

A defining part of his international career was the more than thirteen years he spent performing aboard Costa Cruises ships. During this time, he played for audiences from all over the world and gained extensive experience of different musical cultures, audiences and performance settings.

He plays both acoustic and electric violin and is equally at home performing solo, with backing tracks or alongside DJs, as well as in duos, trios and larger orchestral ensembles. His diverse repertoire ranges from classical music, jazz, pop, film music and tango to crossover, Latin, bossa nova, international hits, and Hungarian and international entertainment music.

As a performer, he places great importance on professional stage presence, establishing a direct connection with the audience, and adapting his musical programme to the character and atmosphere of each event. He also brings his versatile performance experience to the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra.

Oláh Károly was born in Jászberény in 1975. A defining moment in his musical career came in 1987, when he successfully gained admission to the Rajkó Orchestra of the Central KISZ Artistic Ensemble. His years there provided him with a strong musical foundation and extensive stage experience.

In 1997, he continued his career with the Honvéd Artistic Ensemble, where he worked under the direction of Antal Szalai. As a musician, he took part in numerous international performances and tours, appearing in countries including the United States, Japan, China and Cuba.

Looking back on his career, he is particularly proud to have introduced audiences in many countries to the richness of Hungarian musical culture through his music. Today, as a second violinist with the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra, he continues to carry this tradition forward.

Dombi Rajmund comes from a family of musicians, so music has been a natural part of his life since childhood. He began playing the violin in Budapest at the age of seven and later continued his studies at the Pikéthy Tibor Secondary School of Music in Vác. He completed his higher musical education at the Varga Tibor Institute of Musical Arts of Széchenyi István University in Győr, where he earned his degree as a violin teacher.

His professional career is closely connected with classical music: since 2011, he has been a violinist with the Győr Philharmonic Orchestra. Alongside his work as a symphonic musician, the musical tradition of his family has remained equally important to him. He continues this heritage through his music with the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra.

Rajmund is a father of three, and music also plays an important role in his family life. Whenever time allows, he enjoys making music with his children, passing the family’s musical tradition on to the next generation. When he puts his violin aside, one of his favourite ways to relax and recharge is fishing.

Dankó Richárd Lajos was born into a family of musicians in Debrecen in 1996. He began studying music on the violin at the age of three. At ten, he was admitted to the preparatory department of the Kodály Zoltán Secondary School of Music in Debrecen, continuing as a full-time student from the age of fourteen. During these years, his interests expanded beyond the violin to composition, conducting and piano.

In 2014, he continued his studies at the Béla Bartók Conservatory in Budapest, and in 2016 he was admitted in first place to the composition department of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. He graduated in 2020 with a BA in Composition, studying in the class of Fekete Gyula. In 2024, he earned his composition diploma at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music.

His talents as both a composer and pianist were recognised early in his career. In 2016, he received a special prize at the National Farkas Ferenc Piano Competition. In 2017, he received support through the “Nemzet Fiatal Tehetségeiért” talent programme and was among the winners of the Kodály composition competition of the Liszt Academy. As a result, one of his string quartets was performed by Slovenia’s Dissonance Quartet. In 2018, he won a competition jointly organised by the music academies of Budapest and Ljubljana to commemorate Hugo Wolf.

In 2020 and again in 2021, he was awarded support through the Talentum Hungaricum programme, during which he worked as a mentee of pianist Balázs János. In 2021, together with fellow award-winning musicians, he founded the International Contemporary Consort, where he is active as a composer, pianist and conductor.

As a performer, Dankó Richárd Lajos has also gained extensive international stage experience. He has appeared at the Cziffra Festival as both a pianist and composer, and his concert career has taken him to numerous countries, including Greece, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Russia, Latvia, China and Germany.

His catalogue as a composer ranges from solo and chamber music to choral works, concertos and large-scale orchestral compositions. His works include the cantata Nemzeti Dal, Timor et Tremor, Fantasy Quasi Una Klezmer and the symphonic poem TINTI. In 2022, Timor et Tremor won third prize at the HANGKeltő National Composition Competition, while Fantasy Quasi Una Klezmer also received third prize in the composition competition organised by the Firgun Jewish Cultural Foundation.

In 2024, his symphonic poem TINTI was premiered at his graduation concert in the Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy by the Danubia Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Serei Zsolt.

Kardos László was born in Budapest in 1965 into a family of musicians. The traditions of Hungarian Gypsy music surrounded him from an early age, while accomplished musicians within his family played a defining role in his musical development.

He obtained his professional performing licence at the age of nineteen. At the National Studio of Entertainment Music, he studied under István Egerland, while his formative years as an orchestral musician were spent alongside his brothers Sándor Beke Farkas and János Burkus Farkas, as well as his paternal uncle Béla Didi.

He began his professional career at the Baricska Csárda in Balatonfüred, playing as second primás in the orchestra led by his brother Gyula “Mici” Farkas. He later performed at some of Budapest’s renowned restaurants, including Gundel, Aranyhordó and the historic Százéves Étterem.

One of the defining periods of his career began in 1994. For fourteen years, until 2008, he served as primás and orchestra leader at the Postakocsi Restaurant in Óbuda. His career also took him abroad: for three consecutive years he performed in Germany with his own ensemble for Spaten GmbH, and in 2014 he worked as a musician at the Danubius Hotel London.

From 1997 to 2016, Kardos László was a member of the 100-member Gypsy Orchestra, spending almost two decades with the internationally renowned ensemble. Between 2017 and 2020, he returned to the Lake Balaton region as orchestra leader at the Kukorica Csárda in Balatonföldvár, where he performed until the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.

Throughout a professional career spanning more than four decades, Kardos László has represented, both as a primás and orchestra leader, the living tradition of Hungarian Gypsy music and the restaurant music culture passed down through generations.

Villányi László represents the young generation of Hungarian Roma musicians and, at the age of just 21, is already the lead primás of the Kisrajkó Orchestra, carrying forward a distinguished musical tradition passed down through generations.

Two outstanding musicians have played a defining role in his musical development: Sándor Budai, concertmaster of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, and László Berki Jr. From his teachers, he learned not only the technical and interpretative subtleties of violin playing, but also the musical approach and traditions that have been passed down through generations of Hungarian Roma musicians.

As lead primás of the Kisrajkó Orchestra, he already carries considerable artistic responsibility at a young age. He is also active with his own ensemble, performing Hungarian nóta programmes and at a wide variety of events throughout the country. In this way, he is part of a new generation preserving and carrying forward the traditions of Hungarian Roma music.

His talent has already earned professional recognition. In 2022, he received the Ferenc Lerner Award, and in 2026 he was honoured with the Rajkó Musician of the Year Award.

As a young member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, Villányi László represents a generation that learns from its masters while carrying the tradition of Hungarian Roma music into the future with its own musical personality and the responsibility of a primás.

Czutor Róbert was born in Szeged in 1975 into a musical family whose traditions span several generations. Among his ancestors were Czutor Béla and Gondi Márton, friends and contemporaries of the renowned Hungarian song composer Dankó Pista. Well-known melodies such as “Vásárhelyi sétatéren” and the “Kece csárdás” also preserve the memory of this musical connection.

Róbert was introduced to the cimbalom at a very early age. When he was four, his father – himself a cimbalom player and Róbert’s first teacher – carved his first pair of cimbalom beaters. He later studied at the music school in Szeged and became a pupil of renowned cimbalom artists Farkas Gyöngyi and Balogh Kálmán. In 1986, he was admitted to the Rajkó Orchestra, where he continued his musical training under Farkas Gyula.

In 1995, at the invitation of primás Radics Ferenc, he became solo cimbalom player with the Budapest Dance Ensemble. His playing also attracted the attention of Berki László, who invited him to join the 100-Member Gypsy Orchestra, where he performed alongside musicians including Ökrös Oszkár. During his career, he has played in ensembles led by distinguished primás musicians such as ifj. Járóka Sándor, Boros Lajos and Kecskeméti Farkas László.

Another important chapter in his artistic career was his work with the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, where he also served as a solo cimbalom player. In 2002, his solo album “Magyar cimbalom” was released by Hagyományok Háza. The recording reflects his remarkable versatility: alongside Hungarian folk and traditional Gypsy music, it also features works by Franz Liszt and Frédéric Chopin.

Czutor Róbert remains an active figure in Hungarian folk music today. As a member of the Juhász Ensemble and a contributor to various other formations, he regularly performs on stage. He also passes on his knowledge of the cimbalom to younger generations. His artistry brings together Hungarian folk music, classical music and the traditional coffee-house music of Hungarian Roma musicians.

Seres József is a cimbalom player who received his musical training with the renowned Rajkó Orchestra. His teachers included Petrik József, Tordai Jenő, Morzsa Oszkár and Rácz Ferenc.

Throughout his career, he has performed at several renowned restaurants in Budapest. His engagements included the Thököly Restaurant as well as two establishments closely associated with the history of Hungarian Gypsy and traditional restaurant music: Mátyás Pince and Gundel Restaurant.

Ensemble playing and accompanying singers have formed an important part of his musical career. As the cimbalom player of the Tordai Zoltán Quintet, he performs not only Hungarian songs and traditional Gypsy music but also classical works. With the ensemble, he appears at cultural events and Hungarian song evenings and can also be heard in programmes broadcast by Dankó Rádió.

As a member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, Seres József brings the distinctive sound of the cimbalom together with decades of experience rooted in the traditions of Hungarian Gypsy music.

Csürkös Kovács Ferenc comes from a musical family whose traditions span several generations, with musicians on both his mother’s and father’s sides. Music and the musical heritage of his family have therefore been an integral part of his life since childhood.

He adopted the name “Csürkös” in memory of his great-grandfather, expressing his strong connection to his family and to the musical legacy of the generations that came before him.

He has been an active musician since 1975 and can now look back on a musical career spanning more than five decades. In 1978, he successfully completed his professional qualification examination as a musician and continued his performing career throughout the following decades.

Another important chapter in his career is the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra, whose invitation he was delighted to accept. With his cimbalom playing, decades of experience and the musical tradition inherited from his family, he enriches the ensemble and helps carry this heritage forward.

Dani János is 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, performing in numerous countries from Europe to Australia. He has played alongside prímás of traditional Gypsy music such as Boros Lajos, Vörös Kálmán and id. Kállai Kiss Ernő.

He performs as both an ensemble member and a soloist in classical, jazz and world music groups. Since 2012, he has been a member of Jordi Savall’s “Balkan Spirit” project. With the ensemble, he performs in cities including Barcelona, Munich, Oslo and Istanbul, as well as in the United States.

He regularly performs with Hakan Güngör in Turkey. He is a regular contributor to Swing à la Django and also performs in “Liszt-mozaikok”, a production by Experidance Production.

Alongside his concert work, he has been involved in charitable activities as a member of Oltalmazó Segítő és Támogató Egyesület since 2008 and mentors young musical talents.

Váradi Csaba “Brunner” is a viola player who has been making music for almost five decades. He received his musical training with the renowned Rajkó Orchestra, where from a young age he became immersed in the traditions of Hungarian Roma music and the art of ensemble playing.

He has now been an active musician for 48 years. Throughout his long career, music has become far more than a profession – it is an essential part of his life. As a viola player with the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra, he represents a musical tradition passed down through generations, built on ensemble playing, attentiveness to fellow musicians and, above all, a deep love of music.

Bóni Lajos was born on 15 October 1952 in Miskolc. He completed his musical studies at the Bartók Béla Music School before moving to Budapest, where new professional opportunities opened up and he encountered some of the leading figures of the Hungarian music scene.

As a violist, he has enjoyed a musical career spanning more than six decades. The eldest member of the Bóni family, a musical dynasty extending across several generations, his life has been closely intertwined with music and the traditions of Hungarian Gypsy music. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to perform alongside many outstanding and highly respected Hungarian musicians.

His life as a musician has taken him around almost the entire world. During his long international career, he has performed in prestigious concert halls across Europe, America, Asia and Australia. Among the world-famous venues where he has played are Carnegie Hall in New York, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Wiener Musikverein, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Berlin Philharmonie, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Sydney Opera House and Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall.

After more than six decades of music-making and countless performances in Hungary and abroad, Bóni Lajos remains an active musician to this day. In his own words, he still performs with great joy and is always happy to go wherever music takes him.

Jónás Gábor was born in 1985 in Balassagyarmat into a family of musicians. Music has been a defining part of his life since childhood. He began his musical studies in 1993 at the Rózsavölgyi Márk Music School in Balassagyarmat, studying viola. In 1997, he was admitted to the Rajkó Orchestra in Budapest, where he had the opportunity to study and develop alongside renowned musicians and teachers.

One of the most influential figures in his musical career was Gyula Tomhan, known as “Tyutyu”, whom he regards not only as an outstanding musician and teacher but also as one of the most important musical and personal role models in his life.

As a young musician, Jónás performed in several well-known restaurants and hotels in Budapest, including the Trombitás Restaurant, the Margit Hotel, the Hotel Gellért and the Kulacs Restaurant. Playing alongside some of the finest musicians of the profession provided him with invaluable practical and performing experience.

At the age of 17, he formed a family ensemble in Balassagyarmat. His elder brother, cimbalom artist János Kardos, had a particularly profound influence on his musical development. In Jónás’s own words, he learned more from him than from anyone else, acquiring much of the musical knowledge and outlook that continue to shape his playing today. The family ensemble has performed extensively in Hungary and abroad.

In 2011, Jónás moved with his family to Canada, where he founded the Gipsy Night Trio. He plays guitar in the ensemble, whose repertoire includes dance music and jazz. His international career has also taken him aboard cruise ships, including a round-the-world voyage, and he has accepted numerous engagements both in Hungary and abroad.

In 2023, he joined the Pannon Cigányzenekar. As a violist in the orchestra, he brings decades of performing experience together with the musical heritage passed down to him by his family and mentors.

For Jónás Gábor, music is far more than a profession: it is a family heritage, a way of life and a passion. He has been an active musician for more than three decades and moves naturally between traditional Hungarian Gypsy music, dance music and jazz.

László Berki is a graduate violist and music educator whose artistic career brings together classical musical training and the tradition of Hungarian Roma music deeply rooted in his family.

He studied at the Béla Bartók Secondary School of Music and subsequently at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. He is currently completing the final year of his teacher training at Széchenyi István University, further developing the educational dimension of his musical career.

Throughout his orchestral career, he has worked with ensembles including Danubia, Alba Regia, and the symphony orchestras of Szolnok and Szeged. Alongside his work as a performing musician, he has also gained teaching experience as a violin teacher. Supporting young talent and passing on musical knowledge are therefore just as important to him as performing on stage.

In his artistic approach, classical music and the rich tradition of Hungarian Roma music are closely connected. As part of his family heritage, he considers the preservation and transmission of this musical tradition and its values an important mission. For him, classical musical training and a tradition passed down through generations are not separate worlds, but two sources of inspiration that mutually enrich his musicianship.

As both a performing artist and an educator, his aim is to pass on his knowledge, experience and love of music to the next generation.

Pota Zsolt, whose civil name is Jakob Efraim, was born on 7 June 1973. Music has been an integral part of his life since childhood. He began his musical studies at the Rózsavölgyi Márk Music School, where he laid the foundations of his instrumental skills and musical knowledge.

At the age of 17, he began his professional career in his grandfather’s orchestra. It was there that he gained his first important experience of ensemble playing while continuing a musical tradition passed down through his family.

He later moved to Budapest, where he performed with numerous renowned musicians and ensembles. For more than twenty years, he worked as a principal violist in several distinguished orchestras, including ensembles led by Sándor Járóka Jr., Béla Berki, Sándor Buffó Rigó and Zoltán Patai. These decades gave him extensive professional experience and a profound understanding of the traditions and distinctive ensemble style of Hungarian Gypsy music.

Throughout his career, he has performed extensively abroad, representing the traditions of Hungarian Gypsy music before international audiences. In addition to playing the viola, singing has also formed part of his musical work.

For Pota Zsolt, music is far more than a profession – it is a way of life and a vocation. His decades of experience, the years spent performing with different ensembles and his international appearances have all shaped his musical career. As a member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, he brings this wealth of experience to the orchestra’s collective music-making.

ifj. Dani János lives in Budapest and is a musician with a 25-year professional career and more than 15 years of experience as a composer and arranger. He plays lead violin as a prímás, viola, and solo and rhythm guitar.

He studied violin and viola at the Bartók Béla Secondary School of Music. He gained a professional performing qualification in guitar at the Kőbányai Zenei Stúdió (MZTSZ).

For ten years, he has been the solo guitarist in Bangó Margit’s regular band, performing at major stage concerts, on tours in Hungary and abroad, and in television productions. He is a core member of Swing à la Django as a guitarist, violinist, composer and arranger.

His career spans traditional Gypsy music, Hungarian songs, classic coffee-house music, jazz, Django swing, pop and fusion. He plays viola and violin in restaurants and hotels in Hungary and abroad. With Swing à la Django, he performs at events both in Hungary and internationally.

As a songwriter and arranger, he works in Hungary’s pop and fusion music scene. He has written songs and created arrangements for artists including Kökény Attila, Takács Nikolasz and Bangó Margit. He is the founder and leader of his own ensemble, the Dani János Trió, which performs at cultural events, openings and concerts.

Improvisation and bringing together different musical styles are also part of his work. He speaks basic English.

Károly Horváth was born in Budapest in 1982. He began studying the cello at the age of eight at the Tóth Aladár Music School, where his teacher was Ferenc Wambach. His exceptional talent became evident at an early age: in 1992, he won first prize in the cello category of an arts competition organised in Budapest by the Hungarian Committee for UNICEF. That same summer, he represented Hungary at a UNICEF gala in The Hague.

He later continued his studies at the Molnár Antal Music School under Katalin Vass. In 1993, at just ten years of age, he won the classical instrumental soloist category of Ki mit tud?, the renowned talent competition organised by Hungarian Television. He subsequently became a regular performer in the Philharmonia’s youth concert series and, at the age of eleven, appeared as a cello soloist at the Liszt Academy in Budapest.

In 1994, he was admitted to the special class for exceptionally talented young musicians at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, where he studied with Tamás Koó. He later continued his studies privately with László Mező and subsequently became a student of György Déry at the Béla Bartók Secondary School of Music. In 1996, he won first prize in his age group at the Antal Friss National Cello Competition.

In 2000, he successfully gained admission to a music academy in Kassel, Germany, where he studied for two years. His career as a performing musician has taken him to concert stages around the world, including Australia, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany and China. In 2019, he was the featured soloist on a forty-concert tour of China, performing with symphony orchestra accompaniment.

Alongside his career as a soloist, Károly Horváth is committed to passing musical knowledge on to others. He has taught private students from beginners to adults and has also participated in educational programmes supporting disadvantaged communities and in instrumental presentations in rural areas.

Seres Vilmos is a versatile musician of the Hungarian Roma music tradition with decades of experience on stage. He began his career in 1985 with the legendary Rajkó Orchestra, where he has performed as a soloist for decades.

At the heart of his artistry lies the Hungarian musical tradition, enriched by influences from Balkan music and a wide range of world-music styles. His principal instruments are the clarinet and tárogató, while he also plays saxophone and accordion. His instrumental mastery and broad repertoire have taken him to prestigious stages in Hungary and abroad, including New York’s Carnegie Hall.

As a founding member of Swing à la Django, he actively contributes to the dialogue between Hungarian musical traditions and contemporary musical expression. Alongside his performing career, he is committed to nurturing the next generation and teaches clarinet at the Rajkó Secondary School of Arts.

For Seres Vilmos, musical heritage is not merely something to preserve, but knowledge to be passed on. This tradition continues within his own family: his son, Seres Vilmos Jr., has already embarked on his own musical journey as a clarinettist and tárogató player, while directly inheriting the knowledge of a musical culture passed down through generations.

Bujbek Bujka János is a clarinet and tárogató artist and saxophonist who comes from a musical family whose tradition spans several generations. His great-grandfather, Pacek Bujka Márkus, played the tárogató, his grandfather Bujka Rudolf Sr. was a cimbalom player, and his father Bujbek Bujka János Sr. was a clarinettist. Growing up in this musical environment, becoming a professional musician was a natural path for him.

In 1985, he was admitted to the Rajkó Orchestra, where he spent ten years as a soloist and deputy. With the ensemble, he performed in numerous countries and gained extensive international stage experience from an early stage of his career. His later concert tours took him to every continent, from America to Australia.

For ten years, he performed with the orchestra of Sándor Járóka Jr., including appearances at Budapest’s historic Pesti Vigadó. Another major chapter of his career was his twenty years with the 100-member Gypsy Orchestra, where he served as deputy section leader. Alongside his orchestral work, he has regularly appeared as a soloist and performs across a variety of musical genres on clarinet, tárogató and saxophone.

His international career has also brought notable recognition. In 2000, he received a Peace Prize in Tel Aviv, while in Istanbul he won first prize at an international competition. He has performed in Luxembourg with the orchestra of the Grand Ducal court, as well as throughout the Benelux countries and in many other parts of the world.

A versatile and active performer, he continues to work with several ensembles. He performs with the Vajda Gypsy Band, is a soloist with the Vajda Gypsy Concert Orchestra and the Jama Band, a prominent saxophonist with Etnorom, and a member of the EnerGypsy Orchestra and the Highmeister Orchestra.

As a longstanding and integral member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, he contributes to the ensemble on clarinet and tárogató. His playing brings together a musical tradition passed down through generations, decades of orchestral experience and the expressive freedom of a soloist.

Music remains a living tradition across generations of the Bujka family. His wife, violinist Alíz Vámosi, and their son, violinist Leonardo Bujka, are also members of the Pannon Cigányzenekar – meaning that three members of the same family now perform together in the orchestra.

Bangó Lajos was born in Gödöllő into a renowned family of musicians. Music and musical tradition surrounded him from an early age: his father was a primás, or lead violinist, while his grandfather was a well-known clarinettist. He therefore grew up naturally immersed in the world of Hungarian Roma music and a musical tradition passed down through generations.

A defining milestone in his musical career came in 1975, when he was admitted to the world-renowned Rajkó Orchestra. He remained a member of the ensemble for twelve years. He studied under Farkas Gyula, whose guidance helped him further develop his musicianship and instrumental skills.

During his years with the Rajkó Orchestra, Bangó Lajos gained extensive international stage experience. He performed with the ensemble in numerous countries around the world, experiencing at a young age the high standard of performance and musical tradition that made the Rajkó Orchestra internationally renowned.

To this day, his career is rooted in the musical heritage of his family, the professional knowledge he acquired during his years with the Rajkó Orchestra, and several decades of experience as a performing musician.

Farkas Sándor was born on 6 September 1959 in Miskolc. He began his musical studies with the Rajkó Orchestra in 1976, where he acquired the essential foundations of Hungarian Gypsy music and ensemble playing.

After completing his studies, he began his professional career as a member of Ernő Kállai Kiss’s orchestra. He was later invited to perform at Budapest’s legendary Mátyás Pince, where he played in the orchestra of Sándor Lakatos. Another important chapter of his career was the Mágnáskert Restaurant, where he performed for thirteen years.

Throughout his decades-long career, he gained extensive experience alongside distinguished orchestra leaders of Hungarian Gypsy music. Traditional ensemble playing, a strong musical foundation and the experience accumulated over many years continue to define his musicianship today.

He is currently the principal double bassist of the Pannon Cigányzenekar, where his experience and playing provide an important part of the orchestra’s rhythmic and harmonic foundation.

Gyula Maka was born in Budapest in 1964 into a family of musicians. His love of music and the double bass is a family heritage: his father was also a double bassist.

An important chapter in his professional career was his membership of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble from 1983 to 1999. In 1985, he became a founding member of the 100-Member Gypsy Orchestra, performing with the ensemble for almost four decades. Until 2023, he served as principal double bassist of the orchestra.

His artistic achievements have been recognised with several prestigious honours. In 2015, he received the Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit, and in 2020 he was presented with the Dankó Pista Lifetime Achievement Award together with the distinction “Soloist of the Year”.

Today, Gyula Maka is a double bassist with the Pannon Cigányzenekar, enriching the ensemble with decades of experience and an extensive background in large orchestral performance.

He is the father of three sons. His eldest son, Gyuszi, worked for more than ten years as ringmaster and master of ceremonies at the Capital Circus of Budapest and currently hosts a radio programme. Alex is a footballer currently playing in Austria, while his youngest son, Dávid, is preparing for the entrance examination to the Bartók Conservatory. The family’s connection with music, performance and the stage thus continues into the next generation.

Fehér Ernő comes from a family of musicians, so music has been a natural part of his life since childhood. He completed both his musical and secondary-school studies in Budapest and later passed his professional examination in folk music at the National Centre for Entertainment Music (Országos Szórakoztatói Központ).

Throughout his career, he has gained extensive experience as a double bassist in a wide variety of musical settings. He has performed in restaurants, hotels and on concert stages both in Hungary and abroad. His versatility is reflected in his work with ensembles representing different musical styles, allowing him to feel equally at home in traditional Hungarian and Hungarian Gypsy music as well as in other musical genres.

Today, Fehér Ernő brings his many years of performing experience and stylistic versatility to the Pannon Cigányzenekar – Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra as a double bassist.

Rácz István began his musical studies at the Nap Street Music School in Budapest. At the age of sixteen, he joined the renowned ensemble of the historic Hotel Gellért as a young musician, where he had the opportunity to learn the traditions of Hungarian Gypsy music and the art of ensemble playing alongside outstanding musicians. Among his most influential teachers were József Parádi Sr. and József Parádi Jr.

He has been an active musician for nearly three decades. Throughout his career, he has performed at numerous renowned restaurants and venues both in Hungary and abroad. As a member of various ensembles, he has worked with distinguished musicians and leading primás violinists, gaining extensive experience in traditional Hungarian Gypsy music and live entertainment.

As a double bassist of the Hungarian Royal Gypsy Orchestra, his decades of experience provide a strong rhythmic and harmonic foundation for the ensemble.

Rákóczi Béla’s musical journey began in Celldömölk, where he chose the clarinet as his first instrument as a child. His talent and passion for music soon led him to ensemble playing: first as a member of the local Youth Wind Orchestra and later as principal clarinettist of the Zalaegerszeg Military Band.

After completing his military service, he turned to the double bass, which would eventually become his principal instrument. He studied double bass at the music school in Szombathely while simultaneously learning the traditions of Hungarian Gypsy music directly from experienced musicians. Among his mentors he names Meskó, János Rácz and Attila Bakonyi. From them he learned not only repertoire and playing techniques, but also the musical tradition of Gypsy ensembles passed down from one generation of musicians to the next.

His professional career began at the Nádas Csárda in Gyenesdiás and continued at the Halász Csárda in Keszthely. He later performed at the Badacsonyi Borozó in Hévíz before moving to Szombathely, where he played at several well-known venues, including the Kispityer and the Pásztor Csárda.

Rákóczi Béla is a founding member of the Pannon Cigányzenekar and has been performing with Lajos Baranyai’s orchestra for two decades. During these years, he has taken part in numerous performances with the ensemble both in Hungary and abroad.

Alongside his family, music holds the most important place in his life. His career also brings together two very different instrumental worlds: he began as a clarinettist before finding his true musical role with the double bass, an instrument through which he has devoted decades to preserving and passing on the tradition of Hungarian Gypsy music.