Szikra

Csángó music from Moldva and Gyimes.

Szikra at Greenbelt Zoom in 2022

About

Szikra & Melinda at the Balkan Chesnut Festival in 2018Szikra 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. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Music

Furulyás (flute player) at Barcroft Balkan Dancers in 20172016 FSGW MiniFest

Moldvai: Kecskés
Moldvai: Ördög útja (Drumul dracului)

2023 Oakton Farmer's Market

Moldvai: Serény magyaros
Moldvai: Öves

Videos

2019 Zlatne Uste Golden Festival

Moldvai: Bulgáros

2019 World Village Music & Dance Camp

Gyimesi: Régi héjsza

Photos

Szikra and dancers at the 6th Balkan Chestnut Festival in 2023 Szikra and dancer at the 5th Balkan Chestnut Festival in 2022 Szikra and dancers at the 4th Balkan Chestnut Festival in 2021 Szikra and friends at the 2nd Balkan Chestnut Festival in 2019 Szikra at Barcroft Balkan Dancers in 2019 Szikra and friends playing at Golden Festival in 2019

Tisza and Szikra at FSGW in 2015

Szikra at Greenbelt Zoom in 2022