Given that without exception all the members of the Romengo Ensemble, who play traditional Hungarian Oláh-Gypsy music, learned their music as their mother tongue, the title of the Liszt Academy folk music series – Acoustic, Authentic – perfectly encapsulates what we hear from them on stage. Although the world of Gypsy folk songs forms the core of their repertoire, they are very happy to play their own songs, and these are just as authentic ‘folk music’ pieces as anything else they turn their skills to. As they put it in one interview: “Some of our songs are based on our own lives and naturally they express our feelings. But what Gypsies have lived through is also in the background of traditional songs and this can only be passed with total commitment. This has all happened to one or another of us.” Founded ten years ago, the orchestra have given concerts in more than 20 European countries and won many prizes, which is not surprising since their music making releases so much energy and primeval power that it counts as something truly special – and even within a Liszt Academy that has already witnessed so much.
Romengo: Mónika Lakatos (vocals); Mihály ''Mazsi'' Rostás (vocals, guitar, vocal contrabass); János ''Guszti'' Lakatos (demijohn, dance, vocal contrabass); Misi Kovács (violin); Csaba Novák (double bass) Host:: Mihály Dresch (saxophone)
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