The Opatov Accordionists primarily perform in the Trenčín region, but they’ve also played in Moravia, and their music is a staple at the Slovak Folk Costume Day. “However, we’ve also played in a historic tram in Prague,” says Ondrej Meliš, the group's statutory representative.
How did your group come to be?
Our folk group, the Opatov Accordionists, went through an extended development process. We can trace our beginnings back to 2009 when a group of folk music enthusiasts started meeting up. We would meet at various events, anniversaries, of course, with two or three accordions and a certain number of singers. Gradually, these gatherings became more organized, both in terms of the number of singers and musicians. Regular meetings at the cultural center began every Friday. We started as a group of fifteen enthusiasts. In 2019, we decided to register as a civic association. Currently, the ensemble consists of thirteen members, including three accordion players and one musician who plays the ozembuch, a musical instrument made of a long stick with various metal plates, bells, cymbals, and a small drum attached. We continue in this formation and hope to do so for as long as possible.
You’re the statutory representative of the group, what are your responsibilities?
When we founded the civic association, it was necessary, according to the regulations, to appoint a statutory representative. This role was assigned to me at the founding meeting. My main responsibility in this role is to secure financial support for the activities of our group. This mainly involves acquiring folk costumes, covering travel expenses, renting spaces at the cultural center, and other costs related to the activities of our association. On this occasion, we would like to thank the Governor of the Trenčín Self-Governing Region Jaroslav Baška and the Mayor of Trenčín Richard Rybníček for their support.
How many members are there in the group? And can you make a living from playing music?
We are complete amateurs for whom music and singing folk songs are a hobby and a passion. One could say that without this activity, we would lose an important way to spend our time and relax. The group currently has thirteen members, ten of whom are retired, so they must work for the joy of others. The other three members are “young” people in their forties who have to work because they would have a hard time supporting their families solely from this non-professional activity. In short, we don’t play or sing for money, we do it for people and for ourselves.
What is your repertoire like?
Our ensemble's repertoire is very diverse. It mainly depends on where we’re performing, for whom we’re performing, and the makeup of the audience. We have to cater to the attendees, and I think we've been successful so far, based on the feedback from our performances. In this regard, I must highlight the work of our art director, Pavol Pala; no relation to your president. [laughs] His main task is to prepare the repertoire for each performance. I believe he does this job very well. As for the songs we perform, as I mentioned, it depends on various circumstances. We love performing folk songs from our area, and we also enjoy singing “Moravia,” songs from the region of Horehronie, harkening to the old days, and, when necessary, we also please the younger audience with modern songs.
What does regular participation in the Slovak Folk Costume Day in Banská Bystrica mean to you?
This year marked our fifth consecutive time. It is a unique showcase of Slovakia’s folk culture. A month has passed since this year’s event, and we are already looking forward to the next one. It’s a festival of folk music, customs, and beautiful costumes. Anyone who didn’t attend has missed out.
Do you know and play any Czech songs as well?
Since most of the members in our group are of retirement age, meaning they completed their mandatory military service in what is now the Czech Republic, including Czech songs in our repertoire is not a problem. We’ve also added a round of Moravian folk songs, which we love to sing. Our ability to sing Czech songs can be confirmed by the accordion player on the historic tram ride in Prague, as well as by the passersby who clapped for us as we went.
WHERE THEY PERFORM
Over the years, the Opatov Accordionists have built
a name and popularity, and they are regularly invited to many events. “Our group’s activities are mainly focused around the Trenčín region, but we have also participated in folk festivals in Golianovo (Nitra), Banská Bystrica, and this year,
we performed at folk festivals in Moravia in the village of Popov,” confirms Ondrej Meliš. “Our performance schedule is primarily determined by the seasons. For example, here’s a sample of our schedule: February – Carnival (Trenčín, Nová Dubnica, Tr. Teplá), April – Easter (Trenčín), May – Maypole raising (Trenčín, Dubnica), July – North Trenčín Days, August to September – participation in folk festivals, harvest festivals within the region, December – the magic of Christmas.”
