Biography

Áron Szilágyi (Hungary) is one of the most acknowledged Jew?s harp players in the world. He learnt to play the Jew?s harp at the age of 3 and has been an active stage performer since 1997. Made three solo albums, and numerous recordings with his bands and different music projects. Áron?s playing style is dynamic, intense, experimental that really awakes the ancient vibes in every listener. Inner journeys from Siberia throughout Transylvania on the wings of of a very ancient trance instrument.

Áron Szilágyi is the General Secretary of the International Jew's Harp Society, the head organizer of the Hungarian Jew's Harp Festivals and member of the program committee of the International Jew's Harp Congress. He is the director of the Musical Instrument Museum of Leskowsky, the one of a kind institute in Hungary. Áron performs the Jew's harp as solo artist, plays in and manages bands Zoord and various music projects, he gives workshops worldwide and organizes world-music festivals, events.

Áron Szilágyi was born as the first son of Zoltán Szilágyi, the only one Jew's harp maker in Hungary. He could play the instrument, when he was three but started to take it seriously at the age of 16. Since 1997 Áron has been an active member of the international Jew's harp movement and has been a regular guest of the international festivals. At these festivals he was deeply inspired by the different styles and playing techniques of the other virtuoso players. He got a deep inspiration by the spiritual Jew's harp (khomus) music of the Yakut players and the Swiss extravaganza Anton Bruhin.

Since 1998 Áron has been part of all the International Jew's harp Festivals and Congresses. He was the head organizer of the 6th International Jew's harp festival in Kecskemét. Since 1999 he has been an active promoter and producer of fusional world-music. He created the first electronic world music band in Hungary, Navrang. In 2006 he created the unique sounding Jew's harp-beatbox-didgeridoo trio, Airtist, that has become known worldwide. In 2015 he created the band Zoord, that blends traditional Hungarian music with powerful, trance Jew's harp grooves. This project has also toured in three continents. Áron has a good connection to festival organizers, culture diplomats, event producers in many countries. His unique modern, dynamic but colourful playing style that blends and respects the ancestors legacy has brought thousands of people close to the Jew's harp. His playing can be heard on more than 30 albums, he contributed in theatre pieces, composed music for ballet, played in mega-shows in arenas and can be frequently seen in different TV programmes. He also made three solo albums so far. His mini festival in December, Global Vibes, has become the annual ?official? Jew's harp celebration in Hungary and some foreigners, too. Besides Global Vibes Áron is also the organizer of other world-msuic events in the town of Kecskemét.

As a musical instrument museum director he brings closer the world of interesting musical instrument to thousands of people every year.

Besides managing the Musical Instrument Museum, running music projects Áron runs an online Jew's harp shop, writes a blog, gives presentations in schools, creates tutorial videos and has a record label, called Aural Records.