The folk music of the Croats has played an important role throughout the cultural history of the Austrian province of Burgenland. This type of music, especially the Tamburica-music, has recently gained further popularity beyond the borders of this province. The bilingual community of Steinbrunn, with its 1900 inhabitants, forms part of the unique cultural variety of the region. Following devastation by the Turks, the first Croats settled in Steinbrunn in 1555 and have since preserved their cultural identity. With their typical string instrument ensembles, the so-called "Tamburicas", they continue to convey the beauty and richness of their soulful and often melancholic music.
History

In 1961 the Tamburica-orchestra of Steinbrunn was founded by Jakob Dobrovich (headmaster of the primary school in Steinbrunn for several decades). This enthusiastic teacher, composer and dedicated collector of folk music was a highly talented musician, who worked for the the benefit of the village and left behind a lasting musical inheritance. After Dobrovich´s death in 1984, Johann Palkovits, another founder member, took over the leadership of the group. He succeeded in making the orchestra popular, not only at home, but also abroad. The Tamburica´s numerous shows (at home and in countries such as Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, France, Germany, China and most recently Brazil) appealed to the audiences not only because of their musical talent, but also because of their traditional Croatian costumes. In order to achieve an even higher musical standard, the musci teacher Prof. Vjekoslav Vila from Zagreb was employed. His experience and skill in arranging and conducting music have enabled the ensemble to reach an exceptionally high standard.

In 1996 Hubert Palkovits and Sieglinde Kokoschitz took over the leadership of the group. However, the previous leader Johann Palkovits continues to be an active member of the orchestra.
At present the group consists of 38 active musicians, whose repertoire includes both traditional folk songs and a selection of works by classical and contemporary composers.
An important aim for the future is to preserve the Croatian language and customs and to uphold the musical tradition, in order to hand these down to future generations.

Year of foundation
1961
Genres
World/Latin/Reggae, Indigenous music
Instrument types
Strings (bow), Strings (plucked), Voice
Country
Austria
City
Steinbrunn
Mobile phone(s)
+43 (0) 676 / 453 1430