Tag Archives: Music

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Lunik IX Children Choir

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Ondrej Ferko leads the Devjatkakare čhave choir, with almost 40 children from the Luník IX housing estate in Košice. They performed during the Pope’s visit to Slovakia and in the television competition Czechoslovakia has talent. “In three years, we have destroyed stereotypes for other educators, who thought that nothing could be done with these children. And we also destroyed the children’s self-doubt,” says Ferko.

At the beginning, Milan Dulina, director of the Ľ Elementary School, also joined the work. Together with choirmaster Ferko, they explain, among other things, how they work with promising singers and also how artistic training has changed the results of children at school.

Ferko added “Roma children are not born knowing how to sing well, it takes a lot of hard work”.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Roumanie

Djelem Djelem

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Between November 10-12, the Days of Sinti and Roma Culture took place in Bucharest. The event was organized by the Goethe-Institut Bucharest and the French Institute in Romania. The organizers invited musicians from Germany and France to support a musical program of Sinti and gypsy jazz, curated by music producer and journalist Liviu von Braha.

According to Liviu von Braha , the initiative took place with the aim of strengthening the representation of Roma in the public space, disseminating Roma culture to the widest possible public.

As part of the musicians’ event, an intensive workshop was organized at the National University of Music, in the Auditorium hall, held by Florin Niculescu and Christian Escoude, where the participants will familiarize themselves with the instrumental style on unique rhythms of Sinti and gypsy jazz from Germany and France.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne

Don Vasyl and Plagiarism

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Another article on the Roma musician who has recently been accused of plagiarism. Two Poles, whom Don Vasyl acknowledge helped him on the Polish words of some song claim he infringed on their rights. One of the songs they deposited in the Polish Author’s rights is the Roma National Anthem, in a part Polish version, with Romanes words that tey do not even understand …

Not the first such case.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Don Vasyl

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Don Vasyl, one of the best known Roma musicians in Poland, is being accused of plagiarism by two Polish artists who claim he stole some of their music and works. The conflict is apparently not new, dating back 16 years (!). One of the pieces is the song Dželem Dželem where Don Vasyl is accused of having used the Polish words written by the artists. A first court ruling dismissed the case, but the lawyers of the Polish artists decided to appeal this decision.

Lituanie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne

Kwik Family

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An article in the Polish press about the Lithuanian Roma group “Sare Roma”. The group is led by the Kwik family, Lithuanian Lovara and was founded 70 years ago by the grandfather of Isztwan Kwik.

Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Hungary: Fekete Vonat

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Hungary: Fekete Vonat

The music group “Fekete Vonat” [Black Train] has reunited and released a new album. They played together for only five years, and it has been twenty years since the band broke up.

The band was founded in 1997. It got its name from the train transporting workers during the Kádár era. The black train brought and took workers from Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county to the capital and the country’s major cities. Among the passengers there were many unskilled Roma helpers living in segregation.

With this choice of name, the Fekete Vonat band announced their support for the Hungarian Roma and the importance of the fight against segregation and racism. That is why around the turn of the millennium they enjoyed huge popularity among the Roma in Hungary and abroad, and the whole country was in love with their songs and soundscape.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Serbie

Serbia – Romodrom

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The ROMODROM event will open on October 1, 2022. at 8 p.m. in the Ciglana club with a discussion entitled “Roma in Serbian cinematography” . Participants in the debate are Goran Gocić , writer, journalist and film critic, Sreten Jovanović , film producer, Radenko Ranković , professor of film production and Gordana Nešić , journalist. The talk will be followed by a treat for music connoisseurs, a concert by the AMARO DEL group.

The ROMODROM project, will see several manifestations whose aim is educating the majority population about culture, traditional heritage and the participation of Roma in the cultural and socio-scientific life of our country. It is aimed at overcoming the gap created by centuries of stereotypical views of the Roma. Through cooperation with various artists and scientists of both Roma and non-Roma origin, the idea is to encourage and strengthen the healthy national pride of the Roma, which has been shaken over time and sometimes even led to negation.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Sinti, Roma, and Music

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Romani Rose,  the Chairman of the Central Council stated that  Sinti and Roma influenced Europe’s music and that when people talk about European culture, Sinti and Roma are often easily forgotten. He would therefore like to open a museum as well as a permanent exhibition in the long term.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Bratislava – Festival

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After a one-year corona break, Gypsy Fest brings exclusive concerts of top Roma artists to the capital again. The 14th edition of the international festival will take place from September 2 to 3 on the Main Square in Bratislava.

Lituanie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Vilnius – Festival

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Next weekend, September 4., Vilnius will be rocked by the most colourful music event – the Roma culture festival “Gypsy fest 2022”. The organizer of the event, a well-known Lithuanian Rom, head of the ensemble “Sare roma”, Ištvans Kvik says that this year’s festival, invites us to forget about the differences between nations and to remember respect for each other.

Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Monika Lakatos

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An interview with Monika Lakatos. The singer, who in 2020 received the Womex Lifetime Achievement Award as the first artist of Roma origin, was described by a contemporary who also works in classical music as follows: a fragile, modest, non-marketing performer.

Mónika Lakatos grew up in a family with seven children, she has one daughter, she became a grandmother at the age of 41. His parents were engaged in horse trading, and he fondly remembers the horse fairs from his childhood.

Some of the statements in the interview will certainly reinforce some of the prevalent stereotypes about Roma, with, for example arranged marriages.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Roma Bašavel

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On August 18th,  the Roma Bašavel event will take place in Prague. Tickets are no longer available, but the event can be watched via live broadcast on social networks “Romany Bashavel 2022”. The live broadcast is provided by ROMEA TV.

Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Hungary and Roma Music

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Hungary and Roma Music

An overview of the major Roma Music groups in Hungary with the somewhat surprising addition of Esma Redzepova who was from North Macedonia. Please bear in mind that this style of music is exclusively part of the Hungarian Vlach tradition, and not the original music of the Carpathian Roma.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Tomáš Kačo

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The Czech pianist Tomáš Kačo, a Rom who was born in a family with 11 children. He grew up in the ghetto, personally experienced prejudice against the Roma. Nevertheless, he was able to succeed, including the opportunity to perform at the legendary Carnegie Hall. According to him, the key to change is an open mind: “Whether it’s a different food, a different smell, a different race, whenever there is something new and different, they are afraid of it,” says the pianist and composer about the Czechs. According to him, it is important to realize that both parties are to blame for every problem: “I don’t want to say that this is just a majority company, that it is not open. The same thing works with the Roma, the minority, they are not open either. They have barriers, prejudices given by their parents.”

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