Music/Folklore papers by Bozzay, Zina
Applying the Táncház Method to Worldwide Hungarian Folk Singing Teaching (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
Drawing on over a decade of immersive ethnographic research and innovative cross-cultural teaching on opposite sides of the globe, this paper shares methodologies used and results achieved in the Hungarian Folk Singing Circle (Népdalkör), which currently offers online Hungarian folk singing classes to hundreds of participants from over 50 countries. With millions of Hungarians living outside of the Carpathian Basin, the majority of whom do not speak Hungarian, and millions of non-Hungarians who are interested in learning about this repertoire, there is a critical need to offer high-quality, accessible, English-language education suitable to these demographics. This presentation will include the original context of Hungarian folk songs in traditional village life, the village folk song collections and teaching methodologies used in the táncház movement over the past 50 years, and the application of this UNESCO-recognized method to non-Hungarian speakers and to the online medium. Results will be shown through both participation statistics and musical examples.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Zina Bozzay is an active performer, researcher, arranger, and teacher of traditional Hungarian village folk songs. Trained in Hungary by master folk singers, Zina collects from last living village singers who learned in the oral tradition. She founded the Hungarian Folk Singing Circle in San Francisco in 2010 and since then has taught thousands of Hungarian speakers and non-speakers from six continents over the past decade, including at the Hungarian Heritage House in Budapest. Zina holds a Masters degree in Music Composition and tours internationally with her ensemble Vadalma, performing her acclaimed original arrangements. www.zinabozzay.com.
Hungarian Folk Singing Workshop (Open to all)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
Held in English, this traditional Hungarian folk singing workshop is open to participants of all musical and language backgrounds. The beautiful songs will be taught directly from village source recordings, such as those famously collected by Bartók and Kodály, and materials include the Hungarian song lyrics, English translations, and background information on the songs and style. The workshop is held by Zina Bozzay, active teacher of Hungarian folk songs in both the US and Hungary, known for her accessible teaching style, academic rigor, and contagious enthusiasm.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Zina Bozzay is an active performer, researcher, arranger, and teacher of traditional Hungarian village folk songs. Trained in Hungary by master folk singers, Zina collects from last living village singers who learned in the oral tradition. She founded the Hungarian Folk Singing Circle in San Francisco in 2010 and since then has taught thousands of Hungarian speakers and non-speakers from six continents over the past decade, including at the Hungarian Heritage House in Budapest. Zina holds a Masters degree in Music Composition and tours internationally with her ensemble Vadalma, performing her acclaimed original arrangements. www.zinabozzay.com.