There is set to be a distinctly Eastern European flavour to proceedings in Appleby on Sunday night.
Coming to town for a gig at Appleby public hall are the Budapest Café Orchestra.
Concert organiser Andrew Forsyth said: “Dedicated followers of the North Westmorland Arts concert programmes already know that there is usually the occasional surprise deviation from the more mainstream classical menu in the calendar.
“Spicing up the mix on Sunday (February 26) is a shift to the Balkans with the Budapest Café Orchestra and their addictive, emotional, energy-rich nosebag of repertoire from all around Eastern Europe.”
The quartet of musicians comprises founder member Christian Garrick – violin and darabuka (a goblet-shaped drum); Eddie Hession – button accordion; Kelvin Cantlon – double bass; Adrian Zolotuhin – saz (a long-necked lute), guitar, balalaika and domra (a three or four stringed folk lute from Belorusse, Ukraine and Russia) and the instruments that they bring to the stage are interesting in their own right.
Their inspiration comes from a broad mix of genres from Yiddish, Klezmer, Romanian gipsy to Russian or Ukrainian folk traditions and further down the Adriatic towards Albania and across to Bulgaria.
Mr Forsyth added that a proper musical geography lesson is store for Appleby concert-goers.
“A unifying theme is the rhythmic pulse of the Eastern European music – there is a definite, yet ethereal line through the map somewhere East of Austria where something happens to music and the dances which invariably grow around it, where there are additional beats added without warning, bringing a jarring but pleasing asymmetry to the melodies.
“It’s a complex concept to express in mere words, but the effect is truly infectious and it just makes you smile and tap or stamp your feet,” said Mr Forsyth.
The concert takes place at 7-30pm on Sunday in Appleby’s public hall and tickets are available on the door. For more information visit the website www.appleby-concerts.org.uk
