Szikra Banda

Experience the spirit of Hungary at our annual Hungarian Festival featuring live folk music, authentic Hungarian food, and cultural programs. This family-friendly celebration is presented by the Magyar Reformed Church and showcases vibrant traditions in a beautiful courtyard setting.

Szikra plays traditional Hungarian dance music of the Csángó people from Moldva and Gyimes in Romania. The energetic, ancient pulse of this music ignites the dancers' fervor, and inspired the band name Szikra, which means "spark" in Hungarian. Csángó dances are lively and easy to follow, and include both line and couple dances, many with syncopated rhythms.

Emese leads Szikra on the woodwind instruments, furulya (short flute) and kaval (long flute); Chris plays doromb (mouth harp); Val plucks the koboz (lute); and Joseph provides percussion on dob (drum) and ütőgardon (hit cello). Szikra often plays with other musicians, adding to the richness of the music with additional woodwind and stringed instruments, such as hegedű (fiddle) and cimbalom (hammer dulcimer).

Since its formation in 2014, Szikra performs regularly at cultural events and Hungarian dance house parties (táncház-es) in Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Michigan, New Jersey, and New York.

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Host or Publisher Magyar Reformed Church