Sharing the Songs of Roma
Oto Bunda | Photo by Rafael Sampedro
Oto Bunda [SK] has been engaged in pedagogic activities in the Czech Republic for a long time. He comes from one of Slovakia’s most respected families of traditional cimbalom musicians. His grandfather, Eugen Bunda, was a prominent figure in Slovak folk music. Eugen led the Slovak folk ensemble Železiar for 20 years & traveled the whole world during communism. Oto was a member of the Romathan theater in Košice for several years. He spent many years working with the Čhavorenge children's choir, with which he traveled to many countries around the world. In 2024, together with Astrid, they founded the Songs of Roma project.
Astrid | Photo by Rafael Sampedro
Astrid [CZ] is a singer & musician who has been composing her own ambient music for a long time. She has been playing the piano since the age of six thanks to her mother Halka, pianist & organist. She previously performed with the indie-alternative band The Probe based in Prague. Astrid is of mixed Czech-Roma-Sinti descent - she immersed herself fully in the Roma music after meeting Oto in Prague in 2018. In addition to music activities, she is also manager, graphic designer & photographer.
Our Project
Our goal is to share the unique beauty of Roma music all over the world. Music, singing & dancing have been part of our cultural history since time immemorial & we want to bring people back to these fundamentals of humanity. Currently, many people suffer from depression & anxiety - and often singing & dancing can fill a sad heart with the necessary joy & literally cleanse the soul.
Contemporary Roma music of Central Europe brings a completely unique harmony & is as exceptional as Portuguese fado or Spanish flamenco. Visitors to our workshop will sing songs written in the unique Roma language, listen to stories of the songs & get an opportunity to express their emotions. During the workshop, we also teach Roma dances, rhythm & body percussion, and there is also space for debates, presentations & sharing of feelings.
Our project Songs of Roma creates a space for meeting of people, cultures, for creation of unique cooperation & fellowship. In this non-violent way, we fight against racism, which is found not only in Central Europe. Watch the TV report from our workshop on Czech Television.
It was a great honour for us to perform at one of the biggest festivals in the world, Glastonbury, in 2025. We played three concerts & a workshop on the Atchin Tan, Unfairground & Gateway Stages.
Press photos
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