The Music, the Tuba and Me
The story of my long-term relationship with music began when I was just twelve years old. I studied at the Liszt Ferenc Music Academy in Budapest and received my diploma in 1995. As a freelance orchestral musician for two decades, I played with all the symphony orchestras in the Budapest region, including the Hungarian Radio Symphony and the Budapest Opera. I gained experience in contemporary music with the “UMZE” Contemporary Music Group. I was the principal Tuba Player of the Istanbul Opera in 1993-94. Back in Hungary, I was a founding member of the Piston Brass Quintet and member of the Budapest Brass Quintet.
Jazz
tempted and seduced me during my classical studies. An encounter with jazz tuba player Sam Pilafian was critical in my development: I was impressed by his talent and virtuosity, and he became my guide and mentor at the beginning of my jazz career. In the last two decades I have had the opportunity to put my skills to the test, with a huge variety of jazz players and groups from all over the world. I am a member of Heavy Tuba and the Heavy Tuba Experience ensembles, as well as the young and promising Hét Hat Club group. David Yengibarian, the Armenian accordion virtuoso, is a regular partner as well. In 2001, I became the first ever jazz tuba player to play a live solo jazz concert on Hungarian Radio . The following year, I was the first tuba soloist (and composer of a piece with tuba solo) in the history of the International EBU Jazz Orchestra.
I tasted the Blues
as a member of the group, Dr. Valter and the Lawbreakers. Later we formed our own group Someday Baby with my fellow guitar player and vocalist Gál Csaba Boogie. I played with blues legends Corey Harris and Sugar Blue, and recently toured with the Hungarian band Mojo Workings . Also recently, I worked with the fantastic blues singer and guitarist Tim Lothar (DK) and harmonica virtuoso Holger “HOBO” Daub (D) .
I opened up to World music
by touring and recording with saxophonist Ágoston Béla and the amazing singer Palya Bea. I also recorded and toured with trumpeter Frank London (Klezmatics), with the Odessa Klezmer Band, the Carmina Danubiana – and the violin virtuoso Lajkó Félix.
As well as being a regular guest artist at International Tuba and Euphonium Conferences, I was the president of the Hungarian Trombone and Tuba Association and a founding member of the European Tuba Power ensemble.
