The Téka Ensemble was formed in 1976. From the early beginnings they have belonged to the leading ensembles of the “New wave of folk music”. Already as early as 1977 they gained the title ” Young Masters of Folk Art.”

The group plays authentic Hungarian peasant music. Their repertoire emphasizes the traditional style of playing and the original feeling of folk music. They play string instruments (violin, viola, double bass, cello) and other unique folk instruments (bagpipe, hurdy-gurdy, cymbalom). With these instruments they reproduce a colourful picture of village music from all Hungarian – speaking territories.

Now they are working together with several professional dancers, too. Four LPs have been released with their music abroad (in the USA and Switzerland) and one LP in Hungary. They have guest-performed in almost every European country as well as in Mexico, Canada, USA, Japan and China.

In Hungary they have regularly performed in their own club since 1977. Youngsters can learn original folk dances and songs there and can spend their time enjoying other programs, too. The 16 year old Téka Club, unique in its kind, is amongst the most frequently visited ones, with a very good atmosphere.

Every summer they organize a folk music camp (the Téka Camp), where its participants, besides common amusements, dancing, singing and playing music become acquainted with ancient folk trades like weaving, spinning, pottery-making, basket – weaving, wood – carving, wool – dying and rushwork – pleating. Along with many young Hungarians, foreign visitors attend this camp as well.

Téka regularly visits the country-side, where folk habits, dance and music can still be found in their original form. In ‘dance houses’ and at weddings they play with peasant musicians, thus learning from them how to play folk music. On their journeys they gather many original melodies which they include into their programs.

For many years they have been teaching at Hungarian and international courses on folk music and in State Music schools. As a result of their work, folk groups, similar to them in style, have been formed.

The attractiveness of the Téka Group can be explained by their individual intonation, original performing style and brilliant knowledge of singing.

What does the name ‘Téka’ mean?
In the rooms of old peasant houses, there used to be a small wall-cupboard, the “téka”, containing the family valuables: documents, money, the Bible, salt and brandy.
The group is like this valuables – preserving “téka”. It collects, preserves and passes on to others the treasures of Hungarian folk music.

A Téka Együttesről

A TÉKA Együttes, mely 1976-ban alakult Budapesten, hangszeres magyar népzenét játszik, autentikus stílusban, az eredeti hangzásvilág megőrzésére és megismertetésére törekedve. Nevük is e cél jegyében fogant.

1977-ben nyerték el a Népművészet Ifjú Mestere címet. Azóta is folyamatosan járnak gyűjteni, tanulni a magyar nyelvterület hagyományőrző vidékeire. Együtt játszanak lakodalmakban, bálokban, táncházakban az idős parasztzenészekkel. Tudásukat zeneiskolai keretek között és népzenei tanfolyamokon osztják meg az érdeklődő fiatalokkal.

Évek óta szerveznek népművészeti táborokat is (Téka Tábor), ahol a tánc és a zene melett a népi mesterségeket is megismerhetik a táborlakók. Táncházas tájékoztató kiadványt jelentetnek meg, és 16 év óta működő klubjukra – a hangulatos szórakozás mellett – a színvonalas irodalmi és néprajzi előadások is jellemzők.

Nagysikerű koncertjeikkel bejárták Európa szinte valamennyi országát, és jártak Mexikóban, Kanadában, Indiában, Japánban, Kínában és az USA – ban is.

Eddig megjelent lemezeik: Gólya, gólya, gilice (USA), Járjunk táncot (USA), Három a tánc (NÉMETORSZÁG), Téka live (SVÁJC), Feljön a nap (MAGYARORSZÁG).

Fall tour 1998: Pacific Northwest and Western Canada

Te'ka Ensemble's fall tour of the Pacific Northwest and western Canada is as follows. Please contact the concert organizers shown for more information regarding concerts/táncházok in each city. Hope to see you at one of these events! September 3-7 Vancouver, BC Méra Workshop; guest artists (forras@hotmail.com) 8 Corvallis, WA concert (stanikv@PEAK.ORG) 9 Eugene, OR concert and táncház (541-344-8153) 10 Portland, OR concert and táncház (503-245-0372) 12 Vancouver, BC táncház (forras@hotmail.com) 13 New Westminster, BC concert (forras@hotmail.com) 16 Nanaimo, BC concert (forras@hotmail.com) 18 Kelowna, BC concert (forras@hotmail.com) 19-20 Spokane, WA concerts (wkraft@ewu.edu) 22 Lethbridge, AB concert (silar0@uleth.ca) 24 Calgary, AB concert (savanya@attcanada.net) 26 Winnipeg, MB concert and táncház (lmatyi@minet.gov.mb.ca) October 2-3 Toronto, ON TENTATIVE concerts (Alexander.Csizmadia@ny.invesco.com) 7 Edmonton, AB TENTATIVE concert (smbiro@oanet.com) 8 Edmonton, AB concert (smbiro@oanet.com) 10 Edmonton, AB 20th Annual Western-Canadian Hungarian Folkdance Festival; workshops and táncház (smbiro@oanet.com) 11 Edmonton, AB 20th WCHFF guest artists, táncház (smbiro@oanet.com) Also, here are some updates on the 20th annual Western-Canadian Hungarian Folkdance Festival, which is coming up in October in Edmonton, Canada. Events include: -two gala performances, the first on Saturday, Oct. 10, 7:30 pm, at Festival Place theatre; the second is Sunday, Oct. 11, 2 pm, at Festival Place theatre. For tickets or more information, please contact Susanna at smbiro@oanet.com -a variety of workshop sessions, including dance instructors Elemér Vadászi and László Gyalog from Hungary, the Téka Ensemble from Hungary, the Rokka Ensemble from Calgary, AB, and members of the Körös Ensemble from Hungary. Material will range from children's singing games to regional dance styles to singing and music sessions. For more information, please contact Susanna at smbiro@oanet.com -three táncházok, on each of Friday (Oct. 9), Saturday (Oct. 10), and Sunday (Oct. 11) evenings, featuring the Téka Ensemble of Hungary and the Cifra Ensemble of Edmonton, AB -Szüreti Bál on Sunday (Oct. 11) evening