Magyar News, 2001. szeptember-2002. augusztus (12. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2002-05-01 / 9. szám

öforö Poíí; Music Eme«

at the Wallingford Hungarian Community Club

It is always a pleasure to visit the Hungarian Club in Wallingford. They put on very good entertainment and their food is truly made by authentic Hungarian recipes. Unfortunately we miss some of them for different reasons.

Recently we had the pleasure to enjoy the Ökrös Folk Music Ensemble. This group of musicians already established fame in America. Not only are they excellent musicians but they are devoted scientists who do tremendous work searching for original Hungarian songs and music, and adding them to their huge repertoire. Working with them was the very talented Ági Szalóki folk singer.

The audience responded in a very active manner. Somehow it became a community affair far beyond a concert. An elderly couple from the audience during the intermission borrowed a violin . The man, in his own style played the violin and his wife sang to the music, doing quite well.

Learning in advance about the event, also of Kálmán Balogh cimbalom player, several music students from the local schools attended the performance, and they wanted to learn about the unusual instrument. They too gathered on the stage to take a good look at the cimbalom and the way it is played. With them a music teacher also showed interest, went so far as to ask for the hammers, sat down and with the guidance of Kálmán Balogh, was able to get a melody to the surprise of the students.

This concert shows a good response. A big proportion of the audience, and probably the students, were not of

Photos J.F. Balogh

Hungarian background. Not only did they have an experience of Hungarian culture but they planned to come back for more.

Kálmán Magyar manages these tour for folk music ensembles, mostly in the Eastern part of the States. We all are thankful for his wonderful work. Also, we appreciate that the H.C.S.C. and the Hungarian Community Club manages to organize these events.

It is good to have their own building that serves the Hungarian community.