February 16th – 19th 2024
We are so excited to welcome for the very first time in Montreal Kristóf Fundák and Lili Kaszai! They will be teaching dances from Magyarózd. We are also welcoming 3 musicians directly from Hungary: Tamás Nyitrai, Attila Mihó as well as Endre Papp (kontra). Our very own and Gyanta band members Levente Garda and Attila Kraznai will also be joining us.
Born in Budapest, Lili Fundák-Kaszai has been practicing folk dance and folk singing since she was 6. After studying at the Hungarian Academy of Dance, she started working with her partner and husband. Together they’ve been the artistic directors of the Angyalföldi Vadrózsa Dance Ensemble since 2009. She won many awards as an individual dancer and with her husband, including the title Young Master of Folk Art State, and was a winner in 2014 of the Páva television talent show with her husband in the solo and duet dance category. She is also a member of the music band Besh O Drom and a permanent guest singer of the Zagyva Band. This will be the first time that Lili will be coming to eastern Canada and we are honoured to welcome her at the Montreal Winter Workshop.
Kristóf Fundák is a Budapest-born artist who started folk dancing in Csepel at age seven. During the ten years he spent in the Jászság Népi Együttes in Jászberény, he became completely committed to authentic folk dance. Since 2009, he has been the artistic director of the Angyalföldi Vadrózsa Dance Ensemble. Kristóf has won many prizes, including the Örökség Alkotói díj and the Young Master of Folk Art. With Lili, Kristóf founded in 2018, the Foundry Dance Theater; they also have created choreographies for many dance groups in Hungary as well as in the Hungarian diaspora in Canada. We are so glad to welcome Kristóf for the first time in Montreal!
Ta
más Nyitra (violon) first experienced Hungarian folk music at the age of six. Tamásgraduated both in performing arts and teaching at the Liszt Ferenc University of Music. In 2012 he was awarded the Népművészet Ifjú Mestere title (Young Master of Folk Art) and the Béla Halmos prize in 2017. In 2023, he received the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit. Today, Tamás is a member and musical director of the band of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble and plays with many folk bands, including Bazseva. It is with great pleasure that we welcome him for the third time in Montreal!
Attila Mihó (violin) is a distinguished folk musician, winner of the Young Master of Folk Art award and of the Junior Príma and Bezerédi award. He obtained his Master’s (2016) and his Ph. D. (2021) from the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. He is currently an assistant professor at the university’s Department of Folk Music and a folk music lecturer at the Hagyományokj Háza’s (Hungarian Heritage House). Attila has so far released 4 albums with his band called Attila Mihó és barátai. In addition to his own orchestra, he is a regular guest artist for the Bazseva Orchestra and the Vujicsics Ensemble. We are excited to welcome him for the second time at the Montreal Winter workshop.
Another 
important figure of the Hungarian traditional music movement, Endre Papp (viola) has won many important prizes in his young career: Special prize Bartók Rádió (2004), Népművészet Ifjú Mestere title (Young Master of Folk Art) (2009), the Junior Príma Díj award in 2012. Endre Papp was and still is a member of many folk bands, among them Bazseva and Balogh Melinda és zenekara. He also plays in the band of the Hungarian National Folk Ensemble. It will be Endre’s first time at the Montreal Winter workshop, and we can’t wait to hear him!
From Toronto and Montréal, Attila Kraznai and Levente Garda will also be with us, like every year!
Instructors for the kids camp: Borgula Benedetta and Hajzer Sándor
Detti and Sanyi are Montreal and Ottawa’s KCSP this year. Both work with kids of all age since a couple of years at the Mezöbaerény primary school for art, in Hungary.
