Hungary’s Talamba thrills in Abuja

Hundreds of school children, parents and other distinguished guests at the American International School, Abuja (AISA) were thrilled by the award-winning Hungarian-based Talamba band. The four-man group played a catalogue of sensational melodies at a music festival, organised by the Embassy of Hungary in Abuja. The concert featured three performances, with the main attraction being […]

Hundreds of school children, parents and other distinguished guests at the American International School, Abuja (AISA) were thrilled by the award-winning Hungarian-based Talamba band.

The four-man group played a catalogue of sensational melodies at a music festival, organised by the Embassy of Hungary in Abuja.

The concert featured three performances, with the main attraction being the Talamba group.

It was the first time many guests were getting a taste of traditional Hungarian songs and folklore and the group went the whole nine yards in ensuring they did justice entertaining their audience.

They entertained guests to their music, which was greeted with loud ovation clearly in admiration of the band.

The Hungarian mission invited the band to perform together with the AISA Concert Band at the school.

According to the Deputy Head of Mission, Elizabeth Diós-Kovács, “They work together with the school children, who are of different nationalities. This was a kind of multicultural event. The school provided the facilities and place for the concert and the embassy invited Afri Theatre – a Nigerian band.

“In the second part of the concert, Afri Theatre joined them and they did common session with the concert band of the American International School and they did two pieces together,” she said.

Speaking on the purpose of organising the music festival, Diós-Kovács, said, “Our mission at the embassy is to promote and deepen the Hungarian culture to the Nigerian people and the concert was a unique opportunity to do so.”

In an interview with Daily Trust, the band leader, Levente Zombor, said the reception was surprising because “this is our first performance in Nigeria.”

Speaking on the joint performance with Afri Theatre, he said it signalled the beginning of a new partnership and “we look forward to strengthening the relationship for the mutual benefit of the two countries.”

He said the band would perform Nigerian traditional rhythms, learnt from the Afri Theatre group, at other concerts.

“What we learnt from the Afri Theatre, we will internalise and perform them everywhere we go.  Next year, there will be big concert in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, and we will play the Nigerian rhythms there,” he added.