Balkan Village Band Autumn Term 2026

Dear peoples,

This term is a wonderfully special one for the Balkan Village Band!

The whole group is lovingly supporting Gundula’s Great Eurasian Roam — an epic journey in her van. You can find all the details right here: https://www.magicviolin.uk/fieldwork-knowledge 🚐🎻

We’ve got a cracking lineup of special in-person and online workshops ahead, including some sessions by Gundula from exotic places and incredible guest instructors. Non-regular participants and guests are very welcome to join either session without committing to the group or attending regularly.

The Term Schedule:

Tuesday 15th September (Start of Term): In-person kickoff session in Bethnal Green (and on Zoom, naturally!). Gundula will be flying in from Montenegro or Bosnia, let's see! Click here for the details.

22nd, 29th September & 6th October: Live online sessions beamed straight from Vranja, somewhere in Bulgaria, and Istanbul!

Click for the details: 22nd, 29th or 6th.

13th October (Vocal Workshop with Lori Secanska): Join us from 7:15 – 9 PM, in person in Bethnal Green or via Zoom. Lori will be teaching a gorgeous Bulgarian tune (listening links arrive 4 weeks prior). We are so incredibly happy she agreed to do this! Click here for the details.

Learn more about Lori at https://www.facebook.com/LoriSecanska

10th November (Percussion Workshop with Elizabeth Nott): From 7:15 – 9 PM at Bethnal Green and on Zoom, Elizabeth is diving into 9/8 rhythms — understanding and practicing the subtle differences between Bulgarian, Greek, and Turkish phrasings, complete with fun games on speeding up together. Click here for the details.

Check out her work at https://www.elizabethnott.co.uk/about.html

17th & 24th November (Turkish Makam Workshop): TBC! 'Makam Demystified', taught live from Ankara on Zoom with Gundula and an experienced Makam teacher — perfect for all melodic instruments. Get the details on part 1 & part 2 of this workshop.

Precise details for the events will follow soon. Please follow our publications closely for all updates, or drop Gundula an email at gundula@magicviolin.co.uk for more info and to express your interest.

Looking forward to a wonderful and exciting term together!

Warmly,

The Magic Violin Team & the Balkan Village Band