







Ռոբի Լակատոս
Labeled by the Daily Telegraph (UK) as "The King of the Violinists," legendary Romani violinist Roby Lakatos is not only a scorching virtuoso but also a musician of extraordinary stylistic versatility. He is a rare artist who defies definition. He is referred to as a Romani violinist or "devil's fiddler," a classical virtuoso, a jazz improviser, a composer, and an arranger.
Roby has performed at the most prestigious venues in the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, the Barbican Centre, BOZAR, and others. He has also appeared at the biggest festivals in Europe, Asia, and America. Born in 1965 into the legendary family of Romani violinists descended from Janos Bihari, "King of Gypsy Violinists," Roby Lakatos was introduced to music as a child. At the age of nine, he made his public debut as the first violin in a Romani band. His musicianship evolved not only within his own family but also at the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Budapest, where he won first prize for classical violin in 1984.
He has collaborated with Vadim Repin and Stéphane Grappelli, and his playing was greatly admired by Sir Yehudi Menuhin, who always made a point of visiting the club in Brussels to hear Lakatos. In March 2004, Lakatos appeared to great acclaim with the London Symphony Orchestra in the orchestra’s “Genius of the Violin” festival alongside Maxim Vengerov.
When Roby Lakatos mixes the so-called "classical music" with the magic of Hungarian-Romani vitality, it reflects the deep tradition rooted in the cultural heritage of the Roma people and offers new, refreshing pleasures to the listener and music lover. Just as Liszt, Brahms, and others incorporated Hungarian music into their compositions, the public now benefits from the confrontation of these classics with Romani roots.
He has performed at renowned halls and festivals in Europe, Asia, and America and played with prominent jazz musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, and Stéphane Grappelli. Roby Lakatos has an extensive discography with labels such as Deutsche Grammophon (considered the biggest classical music CD label), Universal, Avanticlassic, and others.