The winners of the WOMEX Award 2008 for World Music, after 40 years of their unrivaled career, MUZSIKÁS is the most renowned and popular Hungarian folk music ensemble worldwide and in their home country as well. MUZSIKÁS pioneered the global popularity of Hungarian folk music that is now a well-established niche in the roots and world music scenes. Due to their unique musical skills, instrumental knowledge and musical versatility, they can cope with playing on different music scenes, collaborating with various noted musicians and groups, from folk and world-music to classical, klezmer and jazz, and even to alternative rock music. They have already presented their exceptional live performances at the greatest festivals and in the most significant concert halls, such as the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Théatre de la Ville in Paris and Carnegie Hall in New York.

Among the various prizes, they were awarded the most respected Hungarian State award for artists, the Kossuth Prize, the Prima Primissima Award and in 2008 they received the prestigious WOMEX Award for World Music as well.

Muzsikás more detailed bio

Unusual Folk Instruments of Muzsikás

Thee-string viola
The traditional orchestras of Mezőség (central Transylvania) consist of three instruments, the violin, the three-stringed viola, and the cello. The three strings of the viola are tuned to a, d and g. The bridge is straight, and thus all three strings sound simultaneously with one stroke of the bow.

Gardon
The gardon is an ancient stringed percussion instrument of the Székelys of Csík and Csángós of Gyimes. Gouged like a trough from one piece of beech, maple or willow, its shape resembles a cello. The three strings tuned to one tone are hammered with a stick, while a thinner string is plucked simultaneously so that it recoils on the fingerboard with a sound like that of a drum. In old Hungarian dance music the double-bottomed drum was frequently used to accompany dancing, and it is still used in this way among the peoples of the Balkans.

Koboz
The koboz is an ancient lute-like instrument that is still played today by the Hungarian Csángós and the Rumanians, natives of Moldavia. It is of ten associated with the singing of epic songs. The Hungarians of Moldavia play melodies on it, but the Rumanians typicaIly use the koboz for a running semiquaver accompaniment. It is rarely played today, having been replaced by the cimbalom, accordion, or synthesizer.

Long flute
This flute is approximately one metre in length, and is made of wood. The instrument is played with two techniques, just blowing the instrument, or blowing and 'singing' simultaneously - a common practice in the Hungarian folk tradition.

Kaval
This is a wooden instrument which is very similar to the flute, but the flute has six finger holes and the kaval has only five. The kaval originates from the Hungarians living in Moldavia, but it is possible that the Hungarians took it over from the Rumanians.

Drum
This is a large drum which is beaten with two sticks, one heavy, the other lighter, giving two different effects. There is also a small cymbal attached to the top of the drum. In the Maramures (Máramaros) region, the Rumanians used to play the drum thus: one hand would beat the drum using a heavy stick, while in the other hand a metal object would be used to hit the cymbal.

Tambura
This instrument is a small, cca. 30 cm long plunking (or twanging?) instrument playing the melody together with the violin in South-Hungarian village. Today it is very rare among the Hungarians but widely used among the Serbian or Croatian minorities of Hungary.

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