Hungarian singer to appear at EWU

Renowned Hungarian singer Márta Sebestyén comes to Eastern Washington University next week for a series of public events as part of the school’s “The Village Project.”

Sebestyén was among the first generation of performers to emerge from Hungary’s “dance-house” movement of the 1970s, aimed at reviving the vanishing music and dance heritage of peasant villagers in Hungary and Transylvania.

She has performed throughout the world, including at Carnegie Hall and on film soundtracks including “The English Patient.”

The central event of Sebestyén’s visit is a concert of Hungarian and Transylvanian village music Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. in EWU’s Showalter Hall Auditorium. She will be accompanied by the Jómóka Táncház Band of Salt Lake City, which has performed frequently in Spokane with the Erdély Ensemble, and Erdély dancers Ildikó Kalapács and Wayne Kraft. A reception will follow.

Sebestyén and Jómóka also will present a “táncház” – a Hungarian dance-house – Nov. 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. at A Time to Dance studio, 3815 N. Post St.

In addition, Sebestyén will be featured in three earlier events at EWU in conjunction with academic programs:

“”Village Music and Song as a Community Heritage,” with Jómóka, Tuesday, 6:30 to 8 p.m., 303 Patterson Hall.

“”A Conversation With Márta Sebestyén,” with Kalapács, Nov. 3, noon to 12:50 p.m., 207 Monroe Hall, Women’s Center.

“”Homage to Bartók and Kodály,” with Jómóka, Nov. 3, 2 to 2:50 p.m., 123 Music Building.

“The Village Project” is an interdisciplinary exploration of Eastern European cultural identity and diversity directed by Kraft and fellow EWU professor Dick Winchell. All events are free and open to the public.