The Devil's Fiddler at Chamberfest

The Devil’Äôs Fiddler to perform at Chamberfest!

Roby Lakatos, accompanied by his talented five-piece 'Gypsy Band', slithered and scampered his way - at about 100 notes a second - through four show stoppers, each more preposterously exuberant than the last. - The London Times

The Ottawa Chamber Music Society is thrilled to announce the Ottawa debut of Roby Lakatos as a surprise addition at the 16^th Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival thanks in part to the support of the Marquee Tourism Events Program. Lakatos and his ensemble, a scorching Hungarian gypsy band will perform at Chamberfest on Wednesday, July 29 at 7 pm at Dominion-Chalmers United Church.

Roby Lakatos is not only an impressive virtuoso, but a musician of amazing versatility. With an unusual musical scope - as composer, classical violinist and gypsy violinist, Roby Lakatos is at home in the Hungarian folklore as well as in classical music and jazz. He was born into a legendary family of gypsy violinists who are descended from Janos Bihari, known as the "King of Gypsy Violinists". His musicianship evolved not only within his own family as he was initiated into secrets of gypsy music as a child, but also at the Bˆ©la Bartˆ„k Conservatory of Budapest, where he won the first prize for classical violin in 1984.

The combination of his heritage and his nomadic free spirit and classical violin education has allowed Lakatos to become a classical virtuoso, a jazz improviser, a composer and arranger, a fiery violinist ’Äì all at the same time.

"Since Haydn’Äôs time the influence of Gypsy music has been evident throughout classical music. There is no other performer or ensemble in this day and age that encapsulates the true essence of the Gypsy tradition, its virtuosity, its passion, and sheer ability to entertain, as does violinist Roby Lakatos and his remarkable ensemble," raves Roman Borys, cellist of the Gryphon Trio, the Artistic Directors of the Festival.

His musical prowess borders on genius. Lakatos follows in the footsteps of masters such as Liszt and Brahms in combining classical music with pulsating, vibrant Hungarian Gypsy overtones. Xpress (Abu Dhabi)

’ÄúMy style has three elements,’Äù says Lakatos. ’ÄúThe base is Gypsy music, of course, but also it includes classical music and jazz. The arrangements are very classical - but we have a lot of improvisation, too, because Gypsy music is like jazz,’Äù he explains. ’ÄúAnd, of course, we never make the same concert twice.’Äù

In addition to sold-out performances at the 2009 festivals of Domaine Forget and Orford, Lakatos and his ensemble have performed to great acclaim in concert halls in North America and Europe, including New York’Äôs Carnegie Hall, Santa Cecilia in Rome, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The other members of Roby Lakatos' ensemble are Kˆ°lmˆ°n Csˆ©ki, Lˆ°szlˆ„ Bˆ„ni, Oszkˆ°r Nˆ©meth and Attila Rontˆ„.

Reserved tickets for this performance can be purchased online at www.chamberfest.com, in person at the OCMS office, Dominion Chalmers United Church Box Office, or at any festival concert, or by calling 613-234-6306. General admission tickets are available only at the door. A Festival pass provides access to this, as well as 90 other Chamberfest concerts. Full ticket and pass details are available at www.chamberfest.com or at 613-234-6306.