Martin “Florin” Codoba

Photo by Chris Black

Martin “Florin” Codoba is a well-known village musician from Magyarpalatka. He has been learning and playing folk music with his family since 1985. Upon the death of his father in 2003 he took over leadership of the Palatka band.

He has held a permanent position at the Kallós Zoltán Alapítvány’s school of instrumental music since Fall 2015, where he serves as an informant and principal instructor. He has been a supporting member and instructor of the Kallós Zoltán Alapítvány for 28 years, teaching its folk music camps.  For the past three years his two children have participated with him, accompanying on fiddle and kontra.

Florin has participated in many camps, festivals, and folk music concerts with such famous bands as Muzsikás, Dűvő, Üsztürü, Tükrös, Jánosi.  He also worked for the Budai Zeneiskola imparting his knowledge acquired over many years.

Florin’s travels as a musician include trips to Hungary, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Finland, Poland, Estonia, and Latvia.  In 2004 he toured in Australia, and in 2013 traveled to the U.S. for the first time.  He currently performs solo and with his band, Erdőfű, throughout Transylvania and Hungary.