Peter Levai

Recorded live in Chicago after the 2nd annual “Magyar Szabadegyetem” (Hungarian Open or Free University), Kalman gives the highlights from this groundbreaking event, including recorded clips from presentations, concerts, and interviews.  Highlighted participants: - Anna DeCheke Qualls (Washington DC) - Tomohiko Yamaguchi (Japan/Kansas) - Drusza Band (Hungary/Kentucky) - Sydney Jozsa and Trena Hoebee (Winnipeg) - Janos Szabo and Szilveszter Sikentancz (Hungary).   Released on December 18, 2023. Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language program focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” features long-form interviews with a wide range of guests appearing on the program. More (non-interview) episodes of Tanchaz Talk, featuring a mix of music and stories, are available on www.tanchaz.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/kalmanmagyar. Host Kalman Magyar (Öcsi) is one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and personalities. He is also the author of the bestselling self-help memoir Put Your Pants On and Get to Work - Ten Principles for Zestful Living. Read more at www.kalmanmagyar.com.

Recorded in a Subaru during a wintery drive on Ontario’s highways, Gabor and Attila join Kalman on the road to discuss a wide array of topics. Gabor is one of the main figures in Canada’s Hungarian folk dance scene, and Attila is one of North America’s top Hungarian folk musicians. Interview highlights: - the early days of Tanchaz in Hungary and Canada - the magic of Gyimes - tips for longevity playing the bass - working with Fitos Dezso - pioneering days of Hungarian folk music on the internet - some special call-in guests. Released on November 22, 2022. Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language program focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” features long-form interviews with a wide range of guests appearing on the program. More (non-interview) episodes of Tanchaz Talk, featuring a mix of music and stories, are available on www.tanchaz.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/kalmanmagyar. Host Kalman Magyar (Öcsi) is one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and personalities. He is also the author of the bestselling self-help memoir Put Your Pants On and Get to Work - Ten Principles for Zestful Living. Read more at www.kalmanmagyar.com.

Tanchaz Talk Interview’s Master Class series episodes comprehensively explore the complex mysteries of Hungarian folk music with Soma Salamon (Doctor of Liberal Arts), a Research Fellow at the Institute of Musicology in Budapest, Program Editor of traditional music genres at the House of Music (Hungary), and one of Hungary’s most in-demand folk musicians and teachers.  This episode, recorded live before an audience at the Csipke Camp 2022 in Michigan, examines the musical and dance intricacies of the Nyaradmente region of Transylvania.  Released on July 7, 2022. Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language program focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” features long-form interviews with a wide range of guests appearing on the program. More (non-interview) episodes of Tanchaz Talk, featuring a mix of music and stories, are available on www.tanchaz.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/kalmanmagyar. Host Kalman Magyar (Öcsi) is one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and personalities. He is also the author of the bestselling self-help memoir Put Your Pants On and Get to Work - Ten Principles for Zestful Living. Read more at www.kalmanmagyar.com.

Celebrate the 50th birthday of the Tanchaz movement by enjoying some of the best moments of Tanchaz Talk Interviews episodes together with never-before released Hungarian folk music.  This episode replays some of the more memorable, inspirational, and insightful Tanchaz Talk Interviews clips with:  -  Steve Kotansky  -  Kalman Dreisziger  -  Peter Levai  -  Lili Fundak-Kaszai  -  Walt Mahovlich  -  Levente Szekely  -  Lajos “Lecso” Miklos  -  Colleen Bertsch  -  Levente Fazakas  -  Zsigmond "Zsigi" Vucic  -  Soma Salamon  -  Mark Marczyk  -  Zina Bozzay  -  Sylvie Paquette-Fritsch  -  Raif Hyseni  -  Peter Arendas  Released on June 12, 2022.  Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language show focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. The show combines a mix of music and stories from host Kalman Magyar Jr. (Öcsi), one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and author of the bestselling self-help memoir Put Your Pants On and Get to Work - Ten Principles for Zestful Living.  “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” episodes feature long-form interviews with a wide range of guests. Episodes of “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” are also available in audio podcast form on all popular podcast platforms, including Apple, Google, and Spotify (please subscribe).  Kalman Magyar has been an instrumental personality in the Tanchaz movement since the 1980’s, first with the band Eletfa in New York, and now with Gyanta in Toronto.  In Hungarian, “Táncház” literally means “dance house,” and is the focal point of the Hungarian roots revival movement. The Táncház movement has been inscribed in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, as “a Hungarian model for the transmission of intangible cultural heritage.”  Visit www.tanchaz.com for more information and downloadable audio episodes.  TIMESTAMPS of appearances:  Steve Kotansky (05:00)  Kalman Dreisziger  (08:42)  Peter Levai (16:18)  Lili Fundak-Kaszai (29:16)  Walt Mahovlich (33:04)  Levente Szekely (40:36)  Lajos “Lecso” Miklos (47:57)  Colleen Bertsch (54:33)  Levente Fazakas (59:00)  Zsigmond "Zsigi" Vucic (1:03:17)  Soma Salamon (01:10:20)  Mark Marczyk (01:15:11)  Zina Bozzay (01:23:21)  Sylvie Paquette-Fritsch (01:28:59)  Raif Hyseni (01:35:19)  Peter Arendas (01:40:06)

Zina Bozzay bridges together Hungarian villages and people around the world as she researches, teaches, performs, and arranges traditional Hungarian folk songs. She was born in San Francisco and lives in Budapest, was educated at the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and spearheads multiple international projects including offering classes and presentations with thousands of participants every year from dozens of countries on six continents, as well as working as a mentor to artists of the Hungarian Heritage House’s International Portfolio helping them make Hungarian folk music accessible to international audiences. Interview highlights: - how Zina grew closer to Hungarian roots - the critical influence of mentors - how folk singing was integrated in everyday village life, and the therapeutic effect it might have in our own lives - tips on how to make folk music accessible to audiences worldwide - a preview of Zina’s upcoming class series Much more information available at www.zinabozzay.com. Released on January 9, 2022. Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language program focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” features long-form interviews with a wide range of guests appearing on the program. More (non-interview) episodes of Tanchaz Talk, featuring a mix of music and stories, are available on www.tanchaz.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/kalmanmagyar. Host Kalman Magyar (Öcsi) is one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and personalities. He is also the author of the bestselling self-help memoir Put Your Pants On and Get to Work - Ten Principles for Zestful Living. Read more at www.kalmanmagyar.com.

Peter Levai is a professor and department head at the Hungarian Dance Academy’s Master of Arts folkdance education program, a highly experienced and widely published  researcher and instructor, and a former legendary folkdancer with the Hungarian State, Kodaly Chamber, and Budapest Dance Ensembles.   Interview highlights:   - the importance of living (and dancing!) authentically   - observations from over 35 years of teaching in North America  - the impactful early days of putting authentic village dancing on the stage  - the four foundational building blocks of all folkdance   Released on October 29, 2021. Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language program focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” features long-form interviews with a wide range of guests appearing on the program. More (non-interview) episodes of Tanchaz Talk, featuring a mix of music and stories, are available on www.tanchaz.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/kalmanmagyar. Host Kalman Magyar (Öcsi) is one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and personalities. Read more at www.kalmanmagyar.com.

Tanchaz Talk Interview’s Master Class series episodes comprehensively explore the complex mysteries of Hungarian folk music with Soma Salamon, Lecturer at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and one of Hungary’s most in-demand folk musicians and teachers. This episode examines the life and work of Béla Bartók, including:   - Bartók’s prolific research journeys  - his brilliant methods of collecting  - analyzing and categorizing folk music - Bartók’s fascinating conclusions regarding inter-ethnic music  - how his world-famous compositions incorporated elements of his research  - his relationship with Zoltán Kodály Released on September 13, 2021. Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language program focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” features long-form interviews with a wide range of guests appearing on the program. More (non-interview) episodes of Tanchaz Talk, featuring a mix of music and stories, are available on www.tanchaz.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/kalmanmagyar. Host Kalman Magyar (Öcsi) is one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and personalities. Read more at www.kalmanmagyar.com.

Sylvie Paquette-Fritsch is one of the beating hearts of the Quebec-Ontario Hungarian community and a singer, musician, dancer, and co-founder of the Gyanta Hungarian Folk Band, with a wide spectrum of professional experience ranging from farming to IT. Interview highlights: - insights gained from traveling the world - tips on maintaining Hungarian identity in children when your spouse isn’t Hungarian - the power of self-help courses; the importance of the “Nők a Népzenében” Facebook page for girls and women - dealing and coping with severe tragedy Released on August 17, 2021. Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language program focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” features long-form interviews with a wide range of guests appearing on the program. More (non-interview) episodes of Tanchaz Talk, featuring a mix of music and stories, are available on www.tanchaz.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/kalmanmagyar. Host Kalman Magyar (Öcsi) is one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and personalities. Read more at www.kalmanmagyar.com.

Zsigmond “Zsigi” Vucic was born in Switzerland and now lives in the Gyimes valley of Transylvania. He is a passionate collector, presenter and producer of Hungarian folk music as well as a successful project manager in the international business world.  Interview highlights: - Zsigi’s unusual journey from the Swiss Alps to Transylvania’s Carpathian Mountains; - what’s it like living in the mystical Gyimes valley; - the secret to the power of the music of Szaszcsavas; - the origins of his widely-followed SvejciFarkas YouTube channel; and - what a “project manager” really does. Released on April 5, 2021 Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language program focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” features long-form interviews with a wide range of guests appearing on the program. More (non-interview) episodes of Tanchaz Talk, featuring a mix of music and stories, are available on www.tanchaz.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/kalmanmagyar. Host Kalman Magyar (Öcsi) is one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and personalities. Read more at www.kalmanmagyar.com.

Tanchaz Talk Interview’s Master Class series episodes comprehensively explore the complex mysteries of Hungarian folk music with Soma Salamon, Lecturer at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and one of Hungary’s most in-demand folk musicians and teachers. This episode examines the beginnings of Hungarian folk music research, including:   - peeling off the layers of ethnomusicology;  - early researchers in the 19th century;  - Béla Vikár's first-ever phonograph recording of Hungarian folk music; and  - Béla Bartók’s remarkable encounter with a Székely handmaiden.   Released on March 6, 2021. Tanchaz Talk is the world’s only English-language program focusing primarily on Hungarian folk music. “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” features long-form interviews with a wide range of guests appearing on the program. More (non-interview) episodes of Tanchaz Talk, featuring a mix of music and stories, are available on www.tanchaz.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/kalmanmagyar. Host Kalman Magyar (Öcsi) is one of North America’s leading Hungarian folk musicians and personalities. Read more at www.kalmanmagyar.com. Recommended reading mentioned in the episode:   - Daniel Liptak:  http://real.mtak.hu/102163/1/6.2018.59.1-2.7.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1uVorz58D7JWtRN4IBFd2vb58a12aBL47IISusmfvIgGnzrpVQjud9-x8  - Katalin Paksa:  https://bookline.hu/product/home.action?_v=Paksa_Katalin_A_history_of_Hungarian_fo&type=22&id=324514&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7YyCBhD_ARIsALkj54oZqRkUML7ximmyD1d7zOHJ83zjDMT4JVKl_m6m3IWslhcz_X7yQvsaAqVuEALw_wcB&fbclid=IwAR3u_tcZerc223rCw8nCC30C4SYlaLLpeJgzpMoDFaQMbeolek7KttZKePA  - Lynn Hooker:  https://www.amazon.com/Redefining-Hungarian-Music-Liszt-Bartók/dp/0199739595  - David Schneider:  https://www.amazon.ca/Bartók-Hungary-Renewal-Tradition-Intersection/dp/0520245032