Elán

Led by Zsombor Herédi – who has also played alongside Ágnes Herczku and Nikola Parov – the recently formed Elán primarily play Balkan and Central European music and bring a fresh performance style. Elán were founded in 2022, with their name reflected in their verve on stage. While their repertoire is diverse, they primarily focus on the urban folk music of Central and Eastern European cultures, from Macedonian čoček and the Romanian lautar to Hungarian folk music.

"Inspired by iconic soloists and vocalists from the different genres, enhanced with our own musical paraphrases, we create a unique musical atmosphere in which the accordion takes the lead role alongside the vocals and improvisational playing of the solo instruments by virtuoso musicians. Our musical milieu is influenced by the coffee houses of 20th-century Europe, where a diverse repertoire was also practiced in order to meet the varying tastes of the European public." Elán's 2023 album Agile finds a way to combine these diverse cultures and create a fusion musical base, embellished with improvisations that employ a wide array of instruments.