For three decades, the Hungarian ensemble Söndörgő has been redefining the sound and energy of Balkan tambura music. Ahead of their return to Belgrade, the band’s member Áron Eredics talks about growing up inside a musical tradition, the influence of the legendary Vujicsics Ensemble, and their new collaboration with tambura master Bako Jovanović.

— Interview by Marija Vitas and Bojan Đorđević

The story of preserving the tradition of tambura music and South Slavic songs and dance melodies in Hungary is long and fascinating. The authors of this article have explored this topic many times before – through interviews, album and concert reviews, various thematic articles, as well as by organizing focused musical events. One such event took place on April 24, 2016, at the fifth Todo Mundo Festival, organized by the Ring Ring Association, at the Belgrade Youth Center. The Hungarian ensemble Söndörgő performed, already two decades old and widely recognized as a convincing successor to the musical style and repertoire developed by the Vujicsics Ensemble since the 1970s.

Ten years later, following the release of their album “XXX” (GroundUP Music, September 5, 2025), Söndörgő returns to the Belgrade Youth Center on March 21, 2026, at 8 PM. The concert’s special guest will be Branko - Bako Jovanović, a tambura virtuoso. Bako, originally from Serbia but born in Austria, will join Söndörgő to share the rich and energetic sounds of the tambura and other instruments, performed in the spirit of Serbian and Balkan musical traditions.

This concert is part of the Hungarian-Serbian Cultural Season 2025/2026, supported by the The National Cultural Fund of Hungary and the Collegium Hungaricum Belgrade. The event is organized by AKM Management and the Ring Ring Association, and tickets, priced at 1,200 RSD, are available online and at Efinity sales points.

In anticipation of the concert, an interview was conducted with Áron Eredics, a member of Söndörgő, based on material previously aired on “Disco 3000”, Radio Belgrade 3, on March 10, 2026.

Q: It has been 30 years and a few months since you formed Söndörgő. You were not even teenagers then! Of course, you had great role models in the Vujicsics Ensemble, but one might expect that boys of that age would rather dream of forming a rock band. Was it perhaps because you started the band before becoming teenagers and wanted to charm young girls that you formed Söndörgő in 1995? Or was this music so deeply in your DNA – and popular enough around you – that you never even wished to be in a rock band?

Áron Eredics: “It’s true, we were very young when we started the band, and in a way it happened very naturally. The music we play was always around us while we were growing up. Our father and uncle are members of the Vujicsics Ensemble, and rehearsals, concerts, and recordings were simply part of everyday life. So this musical language was really something we absorbed from childhood – almost like a mother tongue. Of course, like most kids, we also listened to rock and many other styles, but tambura music never felt like something old-fashioned or distant to us. On the contrary, it felt very alive and exciting. When we started playing together as kids, the idea wasn’t to revive something historical – it was simply the most natural way for us to make music together. So I would say it wasn’t a conscious decision to avoid rock bands. It was more that this music was already in our DNA, and we felt that there was still so much energy and possibility in it.”

Q: Over the years, however, you have incorporated elements of a rock attitude into your live performances. How do the legends of the Vujicsics Ensemble, including your father, see that development? At the same time, you are also a full member of Vujicsics, where you play your role and continue the work they have been doing for many years. Knowing how important the táncház scene was for them – and how important they were for the whole movement – how do they react when things get a bit wild on stage?

Áron: “The members of the Vujicsics Ensemble have always been very open-minded musicians. Of course, they deeply respect tradition, but they also believe that folk music should remain alive, and that means every generation has to find its own voice within it. Our live concerts can sometimes feel quite intense and energetic, and maybe that reminds people of the energy of a rock concert. But in fact the roots of that intensity are already present in the traditional music itself – especially in the dance music, the kolos, which are meant to drive the dancers and create a kind of collective energy. The táncház movement was also about this: experiencing folk music as something physical, communal, and alive. So when we get a bit wild on stage, I think the older generation understands it very well. In many ways they did the same – perhaps just in a slightly different form.”

• Áron Eredics (Söndörgő) | Photo: Attila Nagy

Q: When did you first hear about Bako Jovanović? We are sure you are all versatile in different tambura music styles, but we imagine that some preparation was still necessary. From your perspective, how did this collaboration come about – the one we will also see in Belgrade?

Áron: “We actually met Bako Jovanović only recently, in December, when we played together for the first time in Budapest. It was one of those rare musical situations where, from the very first notes, you feel that everyone is speaking the same musical language. Even though tambura traditions have many regional styles, the fundamentals are shared, and Bako has an incredible sensitivity and musical intelligence that allows him to adapt instantly. So the collaboration felt very natural from the beginning. Of course, we prepared some repertoire together, but the most exciting part is the spontaneity. When someone has such a deep understanding of the tradition, the music can really breathe and evolve on stage. That’s something we are very much looking forward to sharing with the audience in Belgrade.”

Q: The last time you played in Belgrade was exactly ten years ago, at the same venue, although in a different hall. The world has changed a lot during that time – how much has Söndörgő changed?

Áron: “Ten years is quite a long time for a band. In some ways we have changed a lot – we have made several albums, collaborated with many different musicians, and performed in many different contexts around the world. But at the same time, the core of the band has remained the same. We are still fascinated by the same musical tradition, and we still approach it with curiosity and respect. Perhaps the biggest difference is experience – after so many concerts together we trust each other even more on stage, which allows the music to be freer. Returning to Belgrade after ten years feels very special, because this region and its musical traditions are such an important source for us. In a way it feels less like visiting a foreign place and more like returning to a musical home.”

Q: Finally, can you paint a picture for us – what kind of night are you promising the Belgrade audience at this concert?

Áron: “For this concert, we will play music rooted in the South Slavic traditions of Hungary – especially the Serbian repertoire that has inspired Söndörgő from the very beginning. At the same time, we always like to shape these pieces in our own way, leaving space for improvisation and the energy of live performance. A special part of the evening will be our collaboration with Bako Jovanović. Playing together with such a great tambura musician brings another authentic voice to the music, so the audience can expect songs that we prepared especially for this concert. I guess it is going to be very lively and fun!”

Links:

Upcoming Show in Belgrade >>  ǀ  Söndörgő Website >> ǀ  Disco 3000 Radio Show >>