Harmonia presents the traditional folk music of eastern Europe, ranging from the Danube to the Carpathians. Its repertoire reflects the cultures of this region: Hungarian, Slovak, Ukrainian, Romanian, Croatian and Gypsy. Performing on authentic folk instruments, and styled after turn of the century East-European Gypsy bands, Harmonia's music is drawn from both the urban and rural traditions of Eastern-Europe. The ensemble's performances evoke the full range of human emotions; interspersing brilliant pyrotechnical virtuosity with soulful melancholy and nostalgic yearning.
The musicians come from varied East-European backgrounds, in Harmonia they have found a common musical language. Whether playing at ethnic weddings, celebrations, or in smoky cafés, this ensemble's members stay close to their roots. Harmonia's music brings to the concert stage the vitality of these traditional settings.
Harmonia performs on authentic folk instruments the traditional folk music of eastern Europe, ranging from the Danube to the Carpathians, with a repertoire reflecting the cultures of this region: Hungarian, Slovak, Ukrainian, Romanian, Croatian and Gypsy.
Founder Walt Mahovlich (accordion, clarinet, frula, gajde and vocals) has been a faculty member at the Balkan Arts Music Camp as well as director of the Cleveland Tamburitzans. His album, ôNova Domovina: Balkan Slavic Music from the Industrial Midwestö won the UNESCO award for ethnomusicology.
Alexander Fedoriouk (cimbalom and nai) received his BachelorÆs degree in music from Kiev State Conservatory. He has performed as a soloist with the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra, Troisty Muzyky Folk Ensemble, the Manhattan School of Music Symphony Orchestra, and the Duquesne University Tamburitzans and Cheres.
Marko Dreher began sitting in with his fatherÆs band at the age of 4 and has been playing tamburica professionally since he was 7. At 12 he entered the music program at Southern Illinois University and has been a soloist with many orchestras in the US and Europe. Dreher was recently featured as a soloist with I Solisti di Zagreb. He currently studies violin and viola at Oberlin Conservatory.
Andrei Pidkivka (panflute, sopilka) graduated from the Lviv Conservatory with a degree in both folk and classical music, ultimately becoming principal flutist for the Ukrainian folk ensemble, Unist. He has since performed with several professional ensembles in the US and abroad.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, bassist Adam GoodÆs passion for the music of East Europe began as a member of the Balkan group TitoÆs Revenge. He performs regularly as a member of Balkan groups 9 Olives and Kolevi 6, as well as Sideshow, a chamber jazz project twice featured at New YorkÆs Jazzfest.
Vocalist Beata Begeniova sings in several languages: Slovak, Carpatho-Rusyn and Romany. Born in Medzilaborce, Slovakia, Ms. Begeniova has a deep knowledge of traditional music from the Carpathian mountains. She was a featured soloist with the professional folk ensembles Dukla and èariÜan, with whom she toured throughout Europe and the United States.
8/21/00: Harmonia
