Spontaneous Music Discovery in Hungary for the Bringing Tunes Home Series

Sometimes the best discoveries are the ones you don't plan. On a recent fieldwork journey to a magical medieval town in Hungary, a beautiful sound caught my ear while I was walking across a cobblestone square. It was the rhythm of a Hungarian folklore dance lesson, with people rehearsing by an open window and a teacher’s voice shouting instructions.

It was a truly spontaneous and curious moment, a reminder of how music lives and breathes in the everyday—not just in grand performances, but in the small, intimate moments behind a window pane.

This moment is part of my new Bringing Tunes Home video series, where I share snippets of my fieldwork and musical travels. Watch the full video here and join me on this journey!

While the music in this particular clip isn't from my book, BALKAN MUSIC FROM THE DANUBE WITH OTTOMAN INFLUENCES, this experience is exactly what the book is all about: the thrill of discovering these ancient melodies and bringing them home to be shared.

Find more tunes from my fieldwork and musical travels in my book, available for purchase