Hej Romale

A CD of Romani songs.

A joint project between the Czech Philharmonic and Ida Kelarová to support Romani children from Czech and Slovak settlements, ghettos, and socially excluded localities.

"Roma children can lack the feeling that they are welcome in society. Their journey out of the vicious circle of settlements and ghettos into a world where something is expected of them, they can trust and prove something, is one of the most difficult journeys. The Chavorenge Choir is an environment that motivates children not to give up their dreams and to pursue their life story. ”

Ida Kelarová has been collaborating with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra for five years on a project that aims to give Roma children the desired hope.  With almost 40 concerts behind them,  in the Prague Rudolfinum (in collaboration with Jiří Bělohlávek, Alice Nellis, Martha Issová, etc.) and other places in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, workshops, but above all influenced life stories of dozens of Roma children and young people. They find a relationship with their own culture, experience a sense of self-confidence and discover their own path.

After several summer stays in the Romano drom (Roma road) summer camp which usually takes place in eastern Slovakia and or in the Czech Republic, Čhavorenge, together with the Czech Philharmonic and a number of guests, started recording a CD in Prague’s Rudolfinum hall. The songs are catchy, dancing and deeply longing, and this CD radiates energy that hardly lets anyone sit still in a chair.

A generously equipped booklet with lyrics and song translations documents the entire project; the reflections printed in the booklet give hope that we can live not only "side by side", but also together, and that we can inspire and learn from each other in many ways.