The Christmas Concert of Harafica, one of the top Czech cimbalom bands, took place in Bohemian National Hall on December 2, and it was the last stop on its second US Tour.
Photo credit © Bruce C. T. Bybee
The band started in Miami, then had a concert near Orlando, made Atlanta dance, and in Washington, D.C., at the Czech Embassy. They also stopped at Four Green Cats Cafe near Philadelphia, and were singing with Czech and Slovak children in a school in Astoria, New York. But the concert at the Bohemian National Hall was certainly the biggest concert of their tour. Here they played again – Harafica performed in the Bohemian National Hall almost two years ago, in February 2022, as the first band after COVID.
This was the end of their second North American Tour and they received many invitations from around the world.
Harafica concerts bring a lot more than just traditional cimbalom music and Moravian folk songs. They are a young band that was born in the heart of Moravian Slovakia, today ranking among the best bands in the Czech Republic. Their music director is the experienced cimbalom player Petr Gablas, and their leader is Martin Melichárek.
Harafica has recorded a long-awaited Christmas album this year. Its title is “Vánoční příběhy” (“Christmas Stories” in English). This year, they are also joined by Kristýna Daňhelová, a Czech musical singer and actress. Kristýna Daňhelová’s home scene is the Brno City Theatre, and this year as well as last year, she was nominated for the Thalia Award for her musical acting.
The concert took place with the support of the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York, Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association (BBLA) and the Association of Free Czechoslovak Sportsmen.
