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Saturday means zither music!
In January 2025, the Ethnographic Museum opened an exhibition about the zither, the most beloved folk instrument. Since it is an instrument that can be relatively easily made and played, the curators of the exhibition sought to share this experience with visitors alongside the nearly 90 instruments, 20 recordings and 3 films on display. Not only interactive applications and playable instruments were included in the exhibition, but contemporary zither players also bear witness to the fact that the zither music tradition is still alive today.
In connection with the instrument exhibition "Sing Joyfully, Zithers!", the Ethnographic Museum issued a call to amateur and professional musicians, ensembles, students and teachers who love the zither, so that zither players and orchestras currently active in the Hungarian-speaking territories become visible and audible in the exhibition through a digital map and live zither music. From February 15 to June 28, 2025, the exhibition's own stage hosts concerts every Saturday at 15:00, featuring performances by orchestras participating in the collection campaign. Below you can read their introductions!
Pipacsok folk song circle and zither ensemble
Rácz Aladár Music School (Budapest district 16), Folk Music Department - Bennő Katalin, folk music teacher
Bennő Katalin is a singing and music teacher, folk music teacher and zither teacher, who studied at the Faculty of Humanities at Eszterházy Károly University, and later at the Folk Music Department of Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. She is a member and leader of several chamber groups and small ensembles. For three decades she has taught at the Rácz Aladár Music School in district 16. Several of her students have since chosen careers as folk musicians. Currently, music school students aged 8–18 play zither and sing during individual and chamber lessons. Several performances take place during the year: they play zither and sing at the autumn harvest celebration, Christmas concert, Advent events, school festivals, and the spring Whitsun concert. They frequently participate in folk music meetings and competitions, including for example the Fehér Galamb folk music competition, the Tiszán-innen Dunán-túl folk song singing competition, or the Rajeczky Benjamin Gregorian and Folk Song Singing competition.
The zither is an instrument widespread throughout almost the entire Hungarian-speaking territory, and their repertoire is characterized by this colourful and varied melodic world. From the Northern Great Plain they play Emőd folk songs following the zither playing of Margit Bozsik. Szatmár melodies are often heard from zither orchestras alongside string bands; they brought two arrangements from this region. From the Highlands they play Bratislava bourgeois dances on zither. They have numerous song selections from Transdanubia, from Somogy, Tolna or Baranya counties; on this occasion they perform Mezőföld swineherd dances and jumping dances touching Tolna and Fejér counties. From Transylvania they play and sing Felcsík and Moldavian dance melodies. The zither arrangements are enriched by the Banat circling song melodies of the Pipacsok folk song circle.
This event is part of the Easter programme day, for which a single, unified admission ticket is required.
In January 2025, the Ethnographic Museum opened an exhibition about the zither, the most beloved folk instrument. Since it is an instrument that can be relatively easily made and played, the curators of the exhibition sought to share this experience with visitors alongside the nearly 90 instruments, 20 recordings and 3 films on display. Not only interactive applications and playable instruments were included in the exhibition, but contemporary zither players also bear witness to the fact that the zither music tradition is still alive today.
In connection with the instrument exhibition "Sing Joyfully, Zithers!", the Ethnographic Museum issued a call to amateur and professional musicians, ensembles, students and teachers who love the zither, so that zither players and orchestras currently active in the Hungarian-speaking territories become visible and audible in the exhibition through a digital map and live zither music. From February 15 to June 28, 2025, the exhibition's own stage hosts concerts every Saturday at 15:00, featuring performances by orchestras participating in the collection campaign. Below you can read their introductions!
Pipacsok folk song circle and zither ensemble
Rácz Aladár Music School (Budapest district 16), Folk Music Department - Bennő Katalin, folk music teacher
Bennő Katalin is a singing and music teacher, folk music teacher and zither teacher, who studied at the Faculty of Humanities at Eszterházy Károly University, and later at the Folk Music Department of Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. She is a member and leader of several chamber groups and small ensembles. For three decades she has taught at the Rácz Aladár Music School in district 16. Several of her students have since chosen careers as folk musicians. Currently, music school students aged 8–18 play zither and sing during individual and chamber lessons. Several performances take place during the year: they play zither and sing at the autumn harvest celebration, Christmas concert, Advent events, school festivals, and the spring Whitsun concert. They frequently participate in folk music meetings and competitions, including for example the Fehér Galamb folk music competition, the Tiszán-innen Dunán-túl folk song singing competition, or the Rajeczky Benjamin Gregorian and Folk Song Singing competition.
The zither is an instrument widespread throughout almost the entire Hungarian-speaking territory, and their repertoire is characterized by this colourful and varied melodic world. From the Northern Great Plain they play Emőd folk songs following the zither playing of Margit Bozsik. Szatmár melodies are often heard from zither orchestras alongside string bands; they brought two arrangements from this region. From the Highlands they play Bratislava bourgeois dances on zither. They have numerous song selections from Transdanubia, from Somogy, Tolna or Baranya counties; on this occasion they perform Mezőföld swineherd dances and jumping dances touching Tolna and Fejér counties. From Transylvania they play and sing Felcsík and Moldavian dance melodies. The zither arrangements are enriched by the Banat circling song melodies of the Pipacsok folk song circle.
This event is part of the Easter programme day, for which a single, unified admission ticket is required.
As with other events or in other places, photographs and audio recordings may be made at this event. By entering the event, participants give their prior and explicit consent – without further question – to the recording and publication of their face and appearance as they may be recognizable in these recordings, for example for the purpose of promoting similar future events.
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