The "Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra", in Hungarian "Szaztagú Cinanyzenekar" (100 - head Gypsy Orchestra) is the World’s largest gypsy symphony Orchestra. It has been founded in 1985, when Sándor Járóka, at the time Hungary's most famous "primas" (gypsy soloist) died. All Hungarian gypsy musicians had come to his funeral. After the ceremony they begin to play. The orchestra had been born out of that improvised moment.

Until his tragic death in October 1997 Laszlo Berki, the conductor of the National Hungarian State Ensemble, was leader of the Orchestra. With is outstanding artistic personality he has left a remarkable stamp on the orchestra. It is his merit that Hungary's best musicians are members of the orchestra. Names like Lakatos, Lendvai Csócsi, Boross, Berki - all members of the orchestra - are the « crème » of the Hungarian gypsy musician dynasties.
Sándor Buffó Rigó is now the President, the Artistic Director and the leader of the orchestra with Jószef Lendvai Csócsi, as master of Violins.
One of the most outstanding members of the orchestra is the cimbalom virtuoso Oszkar Okros. He is the best player of this instrument in the world.
The orchestra consists of around 60 violins, 9 violas, 6 cellos, 10 double basses, 9 clarinets and 6 cimbaloms. The repertoire includes – depending of the tours - famous Hungarian and international Gypsy Music from Vittorio MONTI, Grigoras DINICU and Elemer SZENTIRMAY to classical pieces from Johannes BRAHMS, Georges BIZET, Aram KHATCHATOURIAN, Gioacchino ROSSINI, Pablo de SARASATE, Johann STRAUSS and Piotr TCHAÏKOVSKI.

The Orchestra has already had enormous success over the last years in many world - famous concert halls and festivals, notably in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italia, Japan, Latvia, Luxemburg, Netherland, Poland, Portugal, Principality of Monaco, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and will perform next in many other countries.

Each appearance of the orchestra has an incomparable effect on the audiences: dressed in colourful, traditional dresses the orchestra is much larger than most classical orchestras! Their earthy, native energy thrills everybody. Notably also, that the entire orchestra plays by heart, without score.
Quick changes of rhythm, of colour, harmony and style are found in every piece they play, extraordinary variations, rich harmony and instinctive feelings for the unison of the ensemble, for seamless transitions are innate abilities of these musicians.
All this shows from how deep inside their musicality comes -one has the impression to hear 100 Paganinis !
They transmit to the spectators the energy of a nation which has chosen music as universal language.
Instinctive as a gypsy gathering evening, rigorous as a Vienna concert, in black tuxedo or in national dress, the Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra gives as much to look as to listen.
With no contest, it is the most exciting Symphony Orchestra of our time, the World’s Largest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra.

Honoraries presidents : György CZIFFRA-(1921-1994) | Lord Yehudi MENUHIN-(1916-1999)
Honorary conductor : László BERKI- (1941-1997)
President : Sándor RIGÓ "BUFFÓ"
General Secretary : Nándor FARKAS
Leader of the Orchestra : József LENDVAI CSÓCSI
Art director : Sándor RIGÓ "BUFFÓ"
Manager, Booking agent : Xavier DUBUC & Jacotte DUBUC
Marketing : Arthur DUBUC

MAIN SOLOISTS

Violons László BERKI JUNIOR Gyula MAKA
Sándor BURAI Nándor FARKAS
Károly JÓNÁS István HARCSA FARKAS
Károly HORVÁTH Barnabás VAJDA
Ferenc MOCSÁR Zoltán HORVÁTH

Cymbalom Oszkár ÖKRÖS

Clarinet player Dezsõ BALOGH

Special guest József LENDVAY Jr Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.