Saxophone, flute

Name: Endre Varga

Occupation: flutist-teacher, art director

Date and place of birth: 19 August 1963, Szabadka

Children (first name, year of birth): Dávid 1992, Ákos 1998, Sára 2004

Studies:

Academy of Arts Novi Sad / Department of Music: academic musician and flutist degree (1987). Teacher: Marjan Egic

Magister degree in the faculty of flute (1991).
Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest, two years postgraduated courses.
Teachers: István Matuz, Zoltán Gyöngyössy

Jobs, bands and orchestras:

Novi Sadi Isidor Bajic Vocational Secondary Music School, flute teacher (1987-1991)
Member of the Orchestra of the Újvidék Opera Company (1986-1989)
Flutist of Újvidéki Argyelán quintet jazz band (1988-1991)
Member of the Real Blue jazz band of Budapest (1991-1993)
Járdányi Pál Music School of Tapolca, flute teacher (1992-1995)
Since 1995: Festetics György Music School in Keszthely,  flute teacher
Since 1997: Musica Antiqua Band of Hévíz, art director
Member of the Penta Wind Quintet of Tapolca and the Festetics Chamber Trio of Keszthely
Member of the Jazz Műhely Band of Keszthely
Member and Art director of Late Night Jazz Band
Art director of the Jazz Fiesta event of Balatongyörök
Since 2002: Illyés Gyula Primary School and Music School of Hévíz, teacher and leader of the art department

Awards:

National Flute Championship in Jugoslavia, First Prize (Skopje 1985)
National Chamber Music Championship in Jugoslavia, Second Prize (Dubrovnik, 1986)
Pro Cultura Hévíz 2001
Certificate of Appreciation of the Secretary for Musica Antiqua Band of Hévíz 2009 Ministry of Education and Culture
Zalai Príma Award 2014 with Musica Antiqua Band

Contrabass, vocal

My brother introduced me to music, he was a well-known guitarist. I started in his bands as a bass guitarist. Since  that I have developped my skills and I even taught in the studio of the former OSZK. I made and repaired musical instruments and I got a diploma in sound engineering. I participated in more than twenty released albums, one of them was in the USA. My relationship with music defines me, I mainly play bass and bass guitar, but I can manage other instruments too. I played on cruise ships too as solo musician or as the member of a showband. I also had a chance to play with Andrea Szulák, Csaba Magyar, László Lovay and other great performers. I play in the Happy Dixieland Band from the very beginning, before that I was playing in many bands, styles and performances.

Piano

I was born on 10, April 1988 in Tapolca. I’m trying to hit the keys of a piano in a good order since I was exactly six years old. I started to learn music in Járdányi Pál Music School in Tapolca, Jenő Őry was my professor. Then I continued my studies in Dohnányi Ernő Vocational Secondary Music School of Veszprém, where classical music was the main subject.

My affection to jazz music was inspired by Péter Rozsónyi, and he taught me the basics. And it was so good, that I was accepted to jazz faculty at Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, and I graduated there in 2013. I had a chance to learn from great musicians like Kálmán Oláh, Lakatos Béla Szakcsi Jr, Károly Binder. I participated in many orchestras and bands, so I could try many music styles.   I often play in the Budapest Jazz Club and the Müpa Budapest. Thanks to Happy Dixieland Band I met the dixieland music and I feel like I found myself in it.

Clarinet – band leader

Name: Lajos Babos

Occupation: clarinettist-teacher, director

Date and place of birth: 22 July 1980, Sárvár

Children: Dóra, 2013

Studies:

Sylvester János Primary School, in Sárvár 1986-1994

Koncz János Music School, in Sárvár 1988-1994
Teacher: Imre Kovács

Vocational Secondary Arts School in Szombathely 1994-1998
Teacher: Ferenc Hotzi

University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG) 1999-2004 (Degree: Clarinet, with Honors)
Teacher: Prof. Stefan Schilling

PTE-MK Institute of Musical Art 2013-2015 (Degree: Clarinet, with Honors)
Teacher: Zoltán Arnóth

BME GTK Department of Technical Education  2014-2016 (Degree: Public education leadership, with Honors)
Consultant: Dr. Gyula Borosán

Jobs:

2004-2006.: Járdányi Pál Music School, Tapolca

2004-2012.: Talentum Vocational Secondary School and Music School, Marcali (leader of the woodwind faculty)

Since 2012: Music School of Town Marcali (teacher)

Since 2005: Életfa Primary School and Music School, Keszthely (since 2014: director of the school)

Bands and orchestras:

Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester

Grazer Salonorchester

The Orchestra of the Hevesi Sándor Theatre in Zalaegerszeg

Wiener Strauss Orchestra

Kalimutu Jazz Band feat. Szőke András&Váczi Eszter

The Orchestra of the Petőfi Theatre of Veszprém

Babos-Piller Jazz Duo

Happy Dixieland Band – Hévíz (leader-founder)

Awards:

Competition of ’Erős Katalin’ Music Foundation: First Prize (two times)

“Forum Hungaricum” Music Award – Austria

As a performer I could travel all around the world, I took part in wonderful concerts on fantastic stages. I can call many noted, great musicians my friends. I can tell that beside classical music, which requires an order and discipline, jazz music is the closest to my heart, which gives us the possibility of creativity, freedom and improvisation. With the formation of the Happy Dixieland Band my childhood dream became real, because thanks to my father I was enchanted by this kind of music very early, and I’m still in love with it. Beside performing music I take it to my mission and my duty to eductate the next generation to listening quality music.

Banjo, vocal

I was born in the late fifties in Tatabánya, I went to Music School there. I graduated from Vocational Secondary Music School in Győr, and from Academy of Music in Győr in the faculty of percussion instruments. Since 1980 I work in the Music School of Veszprém, since 2000 I live in Herend with my family. Beside teaching I play music in different bands and orchestras: Zala Symphony Orchestra, the orchestra of the Petőfi Theatre of Veszprém, the orchestra of the Veszprém Pannon Castle Theatre, Viktória Band, T-Boys, Esz-tam Percussion Group etc. We are old friends with the members of Happy Dixieland Band, I joined the band five years ago, where I sing and play the banjo.

Drum

I was born in 1976 in Tapolca. I finished Music School there. (My teachers were Béla Péni, Károly Szerdahelyi). After graduation I went to the Richter János Vocational Secondary Music School in Győr, and I studied in the faculty of percussion instruments, where Balázs Papp was my teacher. In 1998 I was accepted to the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG) to the faculty Classical Music/Percussion instruments. I graduated with honors by the leading of prof. Gerald Fromme  in 2002. In 2014 I got master degree in the Pedagogy of Percussion Instruments at the Széchenyi István University – Varga Tibor Institute of Musical Art. (My teacher was Balázs Papp.) Since 2002 I work as a percussion instruments teacher at Járdányi Pál Primary and School of Arts.

Bands and orcherstras I have played with or where I play today: Percussion Group of Győr, Philharmonic Orchestra of Győr, Zala Symphony Orchestra, Graz Opera, Recreation grosses Orchester Graz, Studio Percussion Graz, Ewald Oberleitner Jazzquintett Graz, Kalimutu Jazz Band, Youth Brass Band of Tapolca, Esz-tam Percussion Group, Új Idők Band, the orchestra of the Petőfi Theatre of Veszprém, Gold Orleans Trio, the Society of the Musicians in Balatonfüred, Figula-Tóth Percussion Duo etc.

Trumpet

I was born in 1981 in Tapolca, where I started playing the trumpet at the age of 9. After I got to know this instrument, I can say we found each other for a whole life. So thanks for that I became of the student of the Vocational Secondary Music School in Veszprém. After that I went to the Academy of Music in Győr and I graduated as a trumpet teacher and a chamber music artist in 2006.

During my years in college, exactly in 2005, I became the member of the forming Band of the Service Club in Tata, since 2009 I worked there as the leader of the trumpet part. Between 2011 and 2012 I attend to the Academy of Győr again to gain a Master degree.

In the last two decades I was lucky to play in many classical or light music bands, or in the cast of theatre productions as permanent or occasional member. Thanks to that I had a chance to travel to many countries over Europe (from England to Macedonia, from Spain to Russia), to Qatar, and more times to China.

But what are the most important to me over all, is my three kids and the Love of My Life.

If I have spare time by all these, I love running, biking and reading.