Feature writer Sara Doktorova tells the story of Dusi band, a gypsy band who starred on Czechoslovakia’s Got Talent
Julius Bandy will never forget the moment. Jittery with nerves, heart pumping with excitement, he waited in the wings of a top TV talent show with his brothers and father.
The Dusi Band Orchestra were about to step on stage for Czechoslovakia’s Got Talent. It was the first time that the band had ever played with their youngest member, Samuel. And it was on TV.
“It was an incredible feeling,” says Julius. “There was a lot of stress, but also a lot of joy. When we started playing and saw the audience’s reaction, the nervousness disappeared,”
The judges were impressed, and sent them through the audition.
“I was nine years old at the time, and I didn’t feel stage fright yet, so it felt great to be on TV. When I found out that we advanced, I was very happy,” says Samuel Bandy.
“I felt proud of Samuel for showing off his talent,” says Kristian Bandy, his brother.
Dusi Band Orchestra are a dulcimer band, who are known for mixing gypsy (Romani) melodies with classical music. They keep it in the family. The conductor of the band is dad Julius Bandy, who plays the dulcimer. He’s joined by Kristian (viola, oldest son), his namesake Julius (double bass and dulcimer), and the youngest son Samuel (violin).
They all come from a Slovakian Roma cultural background.
Julius, 52, has been involved in music his whole life.
“The Dusi Band was formed out of love for music and family. We wanted to play together and at the same time show the beauty of Romani music. We were inspired by the combination of traditional Roma melodies with classical music to create something new and original,” says Julius.
“The name ‘Dusi Band’ comes from our last name and also symbolises our family. For us, it means unity, tradition, and a shared passion for music,” he added.
Kristian, 30, graduated from the Conservatory in Kosice and the university in Spisske Podrade, Slovakia.
“Music to me means more than just sounds – it’s a way to express emotions that sometimes can’t be described in words,” says Kristian.
Julius, 26, graduated from the Conservatory in Kosice and the Academy of Arts in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia.
“Music is a way for me to express emotions. It’s a language that I can use to say things that can’t be said in words,” says Julius.
Samuel, now 19, is a student at the State Conservatory in Kosice in Slovakia. Samuel started playing the violin only at the age of three with the guidance of his father and teachers.
“Music means everything to me because music is always with us,” says Samuel.
The band didn’t make it to the semi-finals of the talent show, but have played at various events throughout the years, including balls and music festivals. They have released several albums, with their favourite album being ‘Aven mulatinas Romale 2022’. The album features traditional gypsy classical songs.
The process of mixing traditional Romani melodies with classical music is creative, interesting and sometimes can be challenging for them.
“We then add classical harmonies and arrangements, we try to preserve the emotion of Roma music, but at the same time, give it a new musical dimension, “says Julius.
“For us, our music is a way to represent our Roma heritage. We try to show the beauty, emotions and energy of Romani music to people in Slovakia and abroad,” he added.
As a family band, they sometimes encounter different opinions, communication is key during those times and the respect for each other. Family is very important to Dusi Band and that is why, they try to find a common solution to their problems.
“It’s natural in a band for everyone to have a slightly different musical opinion or idea of how a song should sound. When creative differences arise, we try to talk about it openly and listen to everyone’s opinion. We often try multiple versions of a song to see which one works best,” says Kristian.
In our modernised world, Romani/ gypsy music is not so popular among the younger generations. However, Dusi Band thinks that Romani music still should be listened to and developed so that younger generations could listen too.
“We live in the 21st century and gypsy music should always keep up with the times. Although traditional gypsy music (dulcimer) is not listened to much by young people anymore, these traditional instruments should be combined with modern instruments and Roma songs should be played in a more modern style. This is the only way our traditional instruments and our traditional songs will not be lost,” says Samuel.
The band would like to carry on with making new music, performing at festivals and concerts all around the world. They would like to express happiness through their music.
“First of all, we would like to sincerely thank our fans for the support they give us. We really appreciate every person, who comes to our show, sings with us, dances and creates a great atmosphere. It is thanks to you that our music has meaning and motivates us to continue,” says Dusi Band.
