A cappella popularity (on the net)

The Fool Moon vocal band was formed in the city of Szeged in September 2001, and has been the advocate
of pop-acappella music – performing pop songs without instruments – in Hungary ever since. The group released its debut album titled Stars (Warner-Magneoton, 2003) featuring their own five part a’cappella arrangements of Hungarian pop hits. Apart from Hungarian songs, the repertoire of Fool Moon includes songs in French, Italian and a good number of pieces in English: a’cappella versions of songs from artists like Sting, Eric Clapton and Paul Simon. Moreover, on their album Acappelland (MDB Records, 2008), there’s even a song in Bantu.
In 2008, their joint project with Kriszta Kovács titled “Arany-óra” was a powerful attempt to press the limits of performing Hungarian literature acappella. In 2012, Fool Moon returned to pop music releasing their album GeorgeMichaelJackson5, a collection of their personal favorites of songs from Michael Jackson and George Michael.
Also in 2012, Fool Moon composed their first original Hungarian pop-acappella hit, in fact the first Hungarian acappella pop song, titled “Kettesben jó”. The song was commissioned for a Hungarian youth film titled “Sherlock Holmes nevében” and was played during the film’s end credits in cinemas in Hungary and abroad.
In December 2012 they went on an advent tour with Takács Nikolas, and the album Music & Soul, which captured the songs performed in this tour, peaked Hungarian pop charts.

INTERNATIONAL AND HUNGARIAN AWARDS

In 2005, the band received first prize in pop category at the Ward Swingle A Cappella Contest in Graz, one of the most prestigious European contests, which placed Fool Moon among the top a cappella groups in Europe.
In 2006, at the 6th Taiwan International Acappella Contest the group earned another first place as well as two special prizes, and in 2010, at the italian Solevoci International Acappella Contest, they were awarded the prize for best arrangement for their folk song medley titled “Szerelem, szerelem…”.
Featured on their album Acappelland, this medley also received a nomination for CARA award in the category of folk/world music in a truly distinguished collection of competing songs from groups like King’s Singers, Neri per Caso or Take6.
In 2013, the Fool Moon album in collaboration with Takács Nikolas titled Music & Soul received a Fonogram Prize nomination.

COLLABORATION

Throughout the 12 years since the band formed, Fool Moon has worked together with the most renowned Hungarian artists including Presser Gábor (“1 koncert”), Zséda (“Ünnep”), Szolnoki Péter (Bon-Bon album “Dupla élvezet”), Malek Andrea (“Retúr”), Szekeres Adrienn (“Olyan mint te”), Szirtes Edina “Mókus” and Kováts Kriszta (“Arany-óra”), Magna Cum Laude (“Magnatofon”) or Edvin Marton. In addition, the
band took part in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Belgrade in 2008 with the Hungarian contestant Csézy.

PERFORMANCES

Fool Moon regularly sings at a number of international festivals, in which they have shared the stage with many stars of the international acappella scene (Rock4, Acappella ExpreSSS, Vocal Sampling, Idea of North, Velvet Voices).
Throughout the past 12 years Fool Moon has performed in 15 countries including Taiwan, Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands.

CULTURAL ACTIVITY

With the aim of increasing the popularity of acappella music, in 2005 Fool Moon launched the one and only acappella event in Hungary, the Fool Moon International Acappella Festival in their home town of Szeged. Inviting vocalists and groups they have met during their performances throughout Europe and beyond, the band has continued to organize this unique festival each Autumn with ever increasing popularity and success.

Fool Moon has given over 250 lectures on the history of acappella singing throughout Hungary, organized by the Hungarian Philharmonic Society for 6 to 18 year-old students.