The "Budapest gypsy symphony orchestra", in Hungarian "Szaztagú Cinanyzenekar" (100 - head Gypsy Orchestra) is the worlds largest gypsy symphony orchestra. It has been founded in 1985, when Sandor Jaroka, at the time Hungary's most famous "primas" (gypsy soloist) died. All Hungarian gypsy musicians had come to his funeral. After the ceremony they begun to play. The orchestra had been born out of that improvised moment.

The Orchestra has already had enormous success over the last years in many world famous concert halls and festivals, notably in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italia, Japan, Latvia, Monaco, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey

Until his tragic death in December 1997 Laszlo Berki, the conductor of the National Hungarian State Ensemble, was leader of the Orchestra. He wrote most of the orchestra's arrangements. With is outstanding artistic personality he has left a remarkable stamp on the orchestra.

It is his merit that Hungary's best musicians are members of the orchestra.

Names like Lakatos, Lendvai Csocsi, Boross, Berki - all members of the orchestra - are the cream of the Hungarian gypsy musician dynasties.

Sandor Buffo Rigo is now the President, the Artistic Director and the leader of the Orchestra with Joszef Lendvai Csocsi, first primas.

One of the most outstanding members of the orchestra is the cimbalom virtuoso Oszkar Okros. He is the best player of this instrument in the world.

The orchestra consists of 50 violins, 10 violas, 10 cellos, 11 doublebasses, 9 clarinets and 6 cimbaloms. Its repertoire not only consists of the famous Hungarian csardas - music, but also of classical pieces, like the Hungarian Rhapsodies by Liszt, Hungarian Dances by Brahms, pieces by members of the Strauss - family and rural Hungarian folk music.

Each appearance of the orchestra has an incomparable effect on the audiences: Dressed in colorful, traditional dresses the orchestra is much larger than most classical orchestras! Their earthy, native energy thrills everybody. Notable also, that the entire orchestra plays by heart, without score.

Quick changes of rhythm, of color, harmony and style are found in every piece they play, extraordinary variations, rich harmony and an instinctive feeling for the unison of the ensemble, for seamless transitions are innate abilities of these musicians. All this shows from how deep inside their musicality comes -one has the impression to hear 100 Paganinis!

Since its foundation the orchestra every year organizes a "Primas - Competition" in Budapest. The winners are made members of the orchestra. So the orchestra takes care of its own musical future.