Robert Mandel

Born: May 4, 1957, Budapest, Hungary Hungarian hurdy-gurdy artist and organologist, founder and member of Mandel Quartet. He became known all over the country as a finalist in a TV talent show in 1977. As a qualified musical instrument maker, he received a scholarship from the German Music Council to study instrument restoration in Nurenberg. He has been a co-worker of Interconcert Hungary since 1988 and the chief manager of the Musica Antiqua department. His main purpose to spread the old Hungarian music both nationally and internationally and rediscover the hurdy-gurdy, an ancient and forgotten instrument. He was invited to several TV Shows even abroad, including the NBC Today Show, also gave concerts just all over the world, from New York to Warszawa. He released 15 musical recordings and wrote four books about the musical instruments, two of them were translated into English.