Top-performing traditional cymbal folk youth ensemble, Kyjov Cimbal Band, joins the festivities of Houby Days with a performance at NCSML!

About the Youth Cimbalom Music of The Elementary Art School Kyjov (ZUŠ Kyjov):
Folklore is an integral part of the cultural heritage of the region “Kyjovsko” and cimbalom music is a significant part of it. That is why pupils at ZUŠ Kyjov are guided not only to classical music, but also to folk music, in the form of lessons in cimbalom music. There are already three cimbalom music groups operating at the school – the Oldest cimbalom music, the Middle cimbalom music and the Little cimbalom music, which was created in 2022 for the youngest pupils from the age of 5. Since 1981, the artistic director has been Petr Petrů, director of ZUŠ Kyjov and the Primas (concert master) of Jura Petrů Cimbalom Music.

The Youth Cimbalom Music of ZUŠ Kyjov regularly takes first or second places in competitions announced by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Czech Republic. In recent years, it was the second prize in the regional round of the folk music competition (2018) and two second prizes in the national round in 2021. Cimbalom music regularly performs at folklore and non-folklore events (Slovak year, Kyjov festival, performances for schools and jubilants in the cultural center in Kyjov, in the Municipal Library of Kyjov, at the festival Smetana´s Litomyšl..). For several years, the Youth cimbalom music has also been performing in the city of Brno as a part of the project Mozart´s children and cooperates with the Zbraslav School of Arts on the program of ZUŠ OPEN in Prague. In 2023, the cimbalom music established a partnership with compatriot associations in the Croatian city of Lipovljany.

In May 2024, members of the Youth Cimbalom Music took part in a tour of the USA, during which they performed at the consulate of the Czech Republic in Chicago, the traditional multi-thousand festival Houby Days in Cedar Rapids, and in the famous Bohemian Hall in the Czech Center in New York.