MAKER OF FOLK MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

TIBOR KOBLICEK

My friend Tibor Koblicek was born in small village of Turicky, close Cinobana in the county of Lucenec in 1937. He works full time in advertising department of Central Slovakia's Glass works factory in Poltar.

However for more than 25 years his hobby has been making of folk musical instruments and he ranks among Slovakia's best producers. He makes fujaras, bagpipes, violins, whistles, and different kinds of pipes. His products are well sought after by the soloists of many folk groups and folk ensembles of the Czech radio in Brno and Slovak radio in Bratislava as well as folk music instruments' lovers from USA, Canada and other parts of the World.

At first he started to make fujaras. After mastering the classical manufacturing he started to develop a new element in the making of fujaras that was a deep cut carved design that makes every instrument an original work of carved art.

He won numerous awards for his work at folk festivals in Vychodna and Detva. He introduced his folk instruments in many countries of Europe as a craftsman and also as a soloist with folk music "Datelinka" from Detva. You see he not only makes the instruments, but also can play everything he makes. Tibor is the only complex maker of bagpipes "Gajdy" in Slovakia - From skinning the little goat and production of leather and decorating the horns and fine-tuning.

His latest and biggest achievement is instrument called ninera. This instrument was completely forgotten. It has a shape and sound of violin, but you don't play it with the fiddle. This instrument hangs around the player's neck and you play it by turning a handle, pushing and pulling bars on the instrument.

Last year at folk festival in Detva, Tibor was displaying and playing his instruments to the enjoyment of many folk art and folk instrument lovers. You can always count on Tibor being at the festivals whether as a performer or as a folk musical instrument maker.

Linder Video Productions produced a two hour movie about Tibor. Tibor Koblicek, his instruments and his music.

For information on Tibor Koblicek folk music instruments you can contact him directly at:

Tibor Koblicek
Turicky 15
985 22 Cinobana
okres Lucenec
Slovakia

All photographs are for sale

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Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 2, No. 1, Spring 1994
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 1994 
3804 Yale Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The above article and photographs may not be copied, reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express written permission of Vladimir Linder. All rights reserved.