Slovak family jazz up the neighbourhood
Baldi Varady, his wife Beata and their children Andreas, 13, Beata, 10, and Adrian, 9, take time out every afternoon from home work studies and house chores to engage in a family jazz session.
Neighbours often stop to listen and marvel at the Varady family sound.
Andreas, who plays guitar, is now regarded as one of the country’s finest young jazz musicians.
He won a scholarship to the jazz academy at Skidmore College in the US last July.
Skidmore College is a private arts college with an enrolment of more than 2,500 students in the small historic city of Saratoga Springs.
This achievement is all the more remarkable in that he plays by ear and does not read music.
Andreas, who regularly delights shoppers in Limerick’s Saturday Milk Market, said: “When I was at Skidmore College I met some of the great names of jazz and it was a fantastic experience.”
Andreas began to play guitar at the age of three and this year started secondary school at St Nessan’s Community College.
Baldi said: “We play at home most evenings. I go to the Limerick Jazz workshop at the University of Limerick every Tuesday and I hope to get the children to come along with me as they get older.”
Beata said: “Andreas does not read music but plays by ear. My husband started teaching him at a very early age. Of our two other children Beata sings, and Adrian plays the drums. Musicians David Little and Damien Evans, often drop over to join in our jazz sessions.”
Beata said: “Meeting great jazz musicians at the New York college was such a great honour.”
The Varady family regularly draw packed audiences to Dolan’s Warehouse in Limerick.
Andreas said: “There is a very appreciative jazz audience in Limerick and it is always great to perform at different places in the city.”
