Czutor Róbert

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.