Artist database

Tamás Gombai was born on May 18, 1970, in Dunaújváros. He studied violin at the Béla Bartók Secondary School of Music from 1984 to 1989, then continued his studies at the college division of ELTE starting in 1990, graduating in 1994. In 2005 he was admitted to the supplementary program at the University of Pécs, in the vocal and choral conducting department, from which he graduated in 2008. From 2011 to 2013, he studied in the folk violin department at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. He began engaging with folk music as a member of the Békés Band (1988–89) alongside his classical music studies in high school. From 1994 to 2002, he was the lead violinist of the Honvéd Ensemble, where he founded the Fonó band in 1997, with whom he received the eMeRTon and Kodály Awards. Between 1994 and 1998, he served as the accompanist for productions at the National Theater (Úri muri, Tündöklő Jeromos, Lila Akácz). From 2003 to 2011, he was a violin teacher at the Ürömi School of Arts. In 2011 and 2012, he played the title role in the Vígszínház production of Fiddler on the Roof.

From 2006, he spent eight years as the lead violinist with the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble; in 2007, they won the Prima Primissima Award. He has appeared on numerous albums with András Berecz and Katalin Szvorák, and is the regular musical accompanist for Márta Sebestyén. He has collaborated with the Szalonna Band on numerous productions, most recently as a regular accompanist on the television folk music competition Fölszállott a páva. In 2012, he was awarded the Artisjus Prize and in 2013, the Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit.

Since 2014, he has been a part-time lecturer at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, and since 2020, an assistant professor. Courses taught: folk violin (major), repertoire studies, and teaching methodology. In addition, he taught at the Ernő Dohnányi Music School (2019, folk violin teacher), and since 2015 he has also been a part-time instructor at the Mária Ward Music High School.

He has performed as a guest artist not only in European countries but also in Mexico, the United States, Canada, Australia, India, China, and Egypt. He has taught at the elementary level for ten years and currently serves as a part-time instructor in the Folk Music Department at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music.

Awards and honors:

2006: Emerton Award
2007: Kodály Award
2008: Príma Primissima Award – Hungarian State Folk Ensemble
2012: Artisjus Award
2013: Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit
2014: Hungarian Heritage Award – Szalonna Band
2026: Kossuth Prize, shared as a member of the Szalonna Band