Some of the band members outside Lambert’s castle in NJ. Photo courtesy of Életfa RETURN to ARTIST DIRECTORY

NAME: Életfa Hungarian Folk Band CULTURE: Hungarian GENRE: Regional styles of Hungarian and Transylvanian folk music REGION: New York Metro Area COUNTY: New York County [Manhattan] BIO:: The Életfa Hungarian Folk Band is from the New Jersey/New York area. The Ensemble treats its audiences to a high-energy, entertaining tour of Hungary’s folk music, song and dance culture, guided throughout by engaging narrative and demonstrations. The group’s members specialize in and present authentic folklore from the villages of present-day Hungary, Transylvania, Romania, Slovakia and beyond, delivered in a style suitable for Western audiences. The members of Életfa are all driven by their love and respect for Hungarian folk music and dance, the importance in preserving Hungarian dance, music and culture in North America, and the dedication to performing and spreading the joy of music, song and dance. Since its formation in 1987, Életfa has performed at venues across the New York City and New Jersey metropolitan area and tours regularly. Their concert performances are augmented by various band members’ dancing proficiency or guest dancers, demonstrating the beauty and energy of Hungarian folkdance. Életfa includes Katalin Harsáczki (“Kata”) as lead vocalist; Ildikó Hajdu-Németh (“Ildi”) on vocals and violin; László Hajdu-Németh (“Laci”) on kontra; József Gartai (“Heki”) on cimbalom and kontra; Kalman Magyar (“Öcsi”) on violin, viola, trumpet-violin, and other folk instruments; Attila Papp (“Acsi”) on 3-string bass and percussive cello; and Raul Rothblatt (“Raci”) on 3-string bass, string cello, and percussive cello. Életfa has been the “house band” for established Hungarian communities throughout the United States and Canada, such as New Brunswick and Passaic in New Jersey, Cleveland and Toledo in Ohio, and even Livingston Parish (Árpádhon) in Louisiana. The band also hosts regular Táncházes [folk dance gatherings] in the New York metropolitan area. The group works often with dancer Aron Szekely of New York. DISCOGRAPHY: Gyökereink (Our Roots) (Hungaria Folk Records, 1999) Szép Szivárvány (Beautiful Rainbow) (Hungaria Folk Records, 2002) WEBSITE: www.eletfa.org CONTACT: kalmanmagyar@yahoo.com

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