Amadinda Percussion Group

“They are among the most dazzling percussionists you might hear this side of Bali.”
(The Guardian, London)

Amadinda Percussion Group was formed 1984 in Budapest, Hungary by four musicians who had just graduated from the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music. Right from the start, besides performing significant pieces from the classical percussion repertoire, Amadinda has made it a point to inspire domestic and foreign composers alike to create new works.

During the second half of the 90’s these initial goals were extended by three new and distinctive elements: research of traditional percussion cultures, composition of new music by the members of the ensemble and transcriptions of some great pieces from the history of classical music.

As a result, Amadinda has created a unique repertoire that has been enchanting audiences for 35 years, in 35 countries, on 4 continents, at venues including such as the Philharmonie Berlin, Wiener Konzerthaus (Vienna), Royal Albert Hall (London), National Concert Hall (Taipei), Meyerson Symphony Center (Dallas) and Carnegie Hall (New York). Professionals from all over the world came to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the formation of Amadinda at the world’s most remarkable percussion event, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, held in Indianapolis (USA), in 2014.

Included among those who have dedicated a new piece for them, are three of the greatest names of the second half of the XXth century: John Cage, György Ligeti and Steve Reich. The music of Amadinda features on more than thirty albums. Perhaps their most prominent release to date is the nearly twenty-year labour of love which is the six-disc series of the complete works for percussion instruments of John Cage.

Amadinda has performed in the past 35 years with world-famous artists like Zoltán Kocsis, András Schiff, Éva Marton, György Kurtág, Péter Eötvös, Gábor Presser, András Keller, Theatre of Voices and Paul Hillier, Rivka Golani, James Wood, and Eighth Blackbird ensemble. Collaboration with such names has greatly contributed to the fact that informed international opinion holds Amadinda to be one of the most original and multifaceted percussion groups in the world.