Vadalma
Vadalma (“Wild Apple”) creates vibrant, intimate arrangements of Hungarian village folk songs.
Learned directly from village singers, Vadalma frames the rich singing traditions of Transylvania, Moldavia, Transdanubia, and other areas of the Carpathian Basin with both traditional and original accompaniment, bringing a new face to this repertoire.
Based in San Francisco, USA and Budapest, Hungary, Vadalma reflects a process of re-learning heritage, respecting it, and reimagining it.
Zina Bozzay - voice, ütőgardon, arrangements
Matthew Szemela - violin
Misha Khalikulov - cello
Upcoming Performances:
Join our email list to hear about upcoming shows!
Get our debut CD here, physical or digital.
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A few past performances:
Orly Museum of Hungarian Culture - Berkeley, CA, USA
The long-awaited return to live shows! Outdoor listening concert in the beautiful Museum Gardens. SOLD OUT!
THANK YOU ALL for great CD release shows in California, New York, Hungary, and Romania!
Táncháztalálkozó, Budapest, HUNGARY:
Vadalma arrangements at the Táncháztalálkozó! A sample of songs from our new CD at the biggest Hungarian folk event of the year, featuring special guest acclaimed musicians Vizeli Máté and Ölveti Mátyás.
Fonó Music Hall, Budapest, HUNGARY
8pm Vadalma's Budapest CD release concert
with special guests Fábián Éva, Navratil Andrea, and Agócs Gergely
Facebook event page (Magyarul / In Hungarian)
Fonó website (Magyarul / In Hungarian)
Debreceni Zenede, Debrecen, HUNGARY
7pm Concert with Vadalma and Pendely Énekegyüttes
Facebook event page (Magyarul / In Hungarian)
Magyar Kultúra Hete (Week of Hungarian Culture), Szatmárnémeti, Transylvania, ROMANIA
7pm Concert Vadalma and Debreczeni-Kis Helga
Full program (Magyarul / In Hungarian)
Hungarian House of New York, Manhattan, NY, USA
3pm Vadalma concert, 4:30 Táncház with Fényes Banda
Facebook event page (Kétnyelvű /Bilingual)
Buy tickets here (Kétnyelvű / Bilingual)
Golden Festival, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Links to a few past shows:
Vadalma's Bay Area CD release show at Ashkenaz, Berkeley, USA
Vadalma at Fonó, Budapest, Hungary
Vadalma at Magyar Ház, Los Angeles, USA
Vadalma at Coffee Gallery Backstage, Pasadena, USA
Vadalma at Corazón Performing Arts, Topanga Canyon, USA
Vadalma at Community Music Center, San Francisco, USA
Vadalma with guest musicians Éva Fábián, Andrea Navratil, and Gergely Agócs. Vadalma's Budapest debut, Fonó Music Hall.
OUR DEBUT ALBUM!
Vadalma: Music of Elderflowers Hungarian village folk songs
in handmade arrangements
Vadalma
Zina Bozzay (voice, arrangements)
Matthew Szemela (violin)
Misha Khalikulov (cello)
Featuring special guests:
Fábián Éva (voice, ütőgardon)
Navratil Andrea (voice)
Agócs Gergely (Transdanubian long flute)
Recorded by Mazura János at Etnofon Studios in Budapest
Produced by Zina Bozzay
Total time 65 minutes
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A few snippets for your enjoyment...
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Join our email list to hear about upcoming shows!
About the musicians:
Zina Bozzay (voice, ütőgardon, arrangements)
Trained by master folk singers in Hungary, Zina Bozzay has performed at the Táncháztalálkozó, Hungarian Heritage House, National Theatre, and Parliament in Budapest, and has been a soloist at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Bay Area Hungarian Heritage Festival, Golden Festival in New York, and Kárpátok 50th Anniversary Gala in Los Angeles.
Zina is the founder and leader of Vadalma, and brings the village source recordings, background information, and her original arrangements to the ensemble. Learn more about Zina here.
About the musicians:
Zina Bozzay (voice, ütőgardon, arrangements)
Trained by master folk singers in Hungary, Zina Bozzay has performed at the Táncháztalálkozó, Hungarian Heritage House, National Theatre, and Parliament in Budapest, and has been a soloist at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Bay Area Hungarian Heritage Festival, Golden Festival in New York, and Kárpátok 50th Anniversary Gala in Los Angeles.
Zina is the founder and leader of Vadalma, and brings the village source recordings, background information, and her original arrangements to the ensemble. Learn more about Zina here.
Matthew Szemela (violin)
Praised by the New York Times for his “outrageous fiddling,” Matthew Szemela has toured the US, Europe, and Asia extensively, and appeared with artists as diverse as Sting, Susan Sarandon, Beyoncé Knowles, and Olivia Newton John. He currently performs with Berkeley Symphony, Opera San Jose, Rupa & the April Fishes, Alta California, and other Bay Area ensembles encompassing a wide range of genres.
Misha Khalikulov (cello)
Cellist Misha Khalikulov, originally from Uzbekistan and raised in San Francisco, has toured 27 countries with his dynamic, passionate performances. He also performs with the Blind Willies, Stringquake, and Rupa & the April Fishes, and is a dedicated music educator.
“Zina Bozzay is a masterful composer, creating such gorgeous music with Hungarian folk songs that it’s a far-and-away exemplary standard for our folk song arrangers here in Hungary. Unparalleled and uniquely thrilling arrangements!”
- István Berecz, Artistic Director of Folk Music, Fonó Music Hall, Budapest
"San Francisco vocalist and song sleuth Zina Bozzay is positively evangelical when it comes to spreading Hungarian culture, and spending a little time with her trioVadalma is likely to make you a believer. "
- Andrew Gilbert, November 2018's "Best Around the Bay", San Francisco Classical Voice (Vadalma CD Release)
"Stunningly beautiful... a genuine, subtle, and exciting album. Hungarian folk song adaptations showing how they see it across the ocean, with fresh, contemporary compositions and an authentic sound."
- Heni Szalay, Hungarian singer and actress
"The experience was terrific. Zina was sensational. WOW!!!! Thank you! THANK YOU!"
- Raz Kennedy, founding member of Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra
"Zina Bozzay has become the Bay Area’s primary conduit for Hungarian folk music as both a performer and a teacher."
- Andrew Gilbert, Berkeleyside
Vadalma on TV, and live concert videos
Vadalma performing live on Kult'30, Hungarian TV
Interview with Zina Bozzay
January 2019
In Hungarian with English subtitles
Zina Bozzay live interview on Ma Reggel
January 2019
In Hungarian with English subtitles
Vadalma & Pendely Énekegyüttes - Öt kontinens, Duna World TV
Interviews with Zina Bozzay, Lilla Tóth, Pendely
January 2019
In Hungarian with English subtitles
Vadalma & Pendely Énekegyüttes - Debrecen TV
Interviews with Zina Bozzay, Lilla Tóth, Pendely
January 2019
In Hungarian with English subtitles
Vadalma at Fonó Music Hall, Budapest
Live in concert, March 2018
Song: Esik eső, folk song from Bálványosváralja, Transylvania, in original arrangement
"Ma reggel" Hungarian live TV program
Interview with Zina Bozzay and István Berecz about Vadalma's debut performance in Hungary
March 2018
In Hungarian with English subtitles
Ambassador of Hungarian folksong
Profile of Zina Bozzay and Vadalma
"Öt Kontinens" (Five Continents) - Duna World TV
February 2018
In Hungarian with English subtitles
Articles (we'll post more here soon...)
Trio to perform Hungarian folk songs at Berkeley's new museum of Hungarian culture
In Berkeleyside, by Andrew Gilbert
August 2021
