"Once again, Alma Bencze captivated everyone; she didn't 'just' sing the songs selected for her repertoire, she truly performed them."
Péter Somogyvári
Bencze Alma
"Alma Bencze, a singer with a magnificent voice and immense soul, took her very first singing lesson at the age of 26. Since then, her career has followed a steady upward trajectory, with only two breaks—both to welcome her children into the world. Those who attended the Juli Fábián memorial concert will never forget Alma's breathtaking performance. Despite being unknown in the UK at the time, Alma was invited to the legendary 606 Club in London, where she achieved overwhelming success performing alongside top-tier British jazz musicians whom she met for the very first time on stage."
Péter Pallai
Harmónia Workshop Foundation
mayor performances:
London - 606 Club | MÜPA Jazz Showcase | MÜPA jégszínpad | Budapest Jazz Club | Opus Jazz Club | Rozé, Rizling Jazz Napok | Balatonfüredi Borhetek | Művészetek Völgye Fesztivál | Nagyerdei Víztorony | Jazzmine Vác | VVV Jazzclub Esztergom | MOMkult lépcsőkoncert | Hegyvidéki Kulturális Szalon | Borlemente fesztivál...
The Beginning
I was born into a family of classical musicians, and music was an integral part of my life. I first encountered folk music and took up folk dancing; by the age of 10, I entertained myself by singing through the more than 100 folk songs I had learned there during my afternoons. I also listened to a lot of classical music; the memory remains vivid of me listening to and singing along with a vinyl recording of Karl Böhm's The Magic Flute found on the shelf, while reading the libretto in the cool room of our summer house during the holidays.
I attended an arts school where we sang every day, and I usually entertained myself by making up acompanying harmonies for the songs we sang. I took part in the school choir and performed solos in plays and shows, yet I always felt that the possibilities within my voice were very limited.
abroad
I spent three years abroad, and during my final year in London, I worked in a restaurant that featured live jazz on weekends. I dreamed that perhaps one day I would become a singer and return there to perform. Who would have thought that 12 years later—though not in that same restaurant—I would take the stage at the 606 Club in London? But more on that later. I moved back home in 2007 with a degree in Interior Design, but due to a lack of opportunities in my field, I found a position in HR thanks to my language skills.
Meanwhile, I was an active and founding member of the Waldorf Student Choir.
THE TURNING POINT
At a certain point in my exciting corporate career, I felt it was time to find a hobby alongside work, and singing seemed like an obvious choice. So, at the age of 26, I went to my very first jazz vocal lesson. That moment changed everything. It was then that I decided to become a jazz singer, I quit my job, and spent the spring preparing for entry auditions. I applied and was accepted into the Jazz Vocal program at János Kodolányi University in 2010. Around the same time, I joined the band Panírozott Barikád alongside two of my friends and Robi Bérczesi. For a year, we performed many concerts and made recordings, blending folk songs and pop hits for one guitar and three voices..
The Alma Bencze Quartet is formed
From that point on, events accelerated. At the end of my second academic year, the first Alma Bencze Quartet was formed with fellow musicians from Kodolányi University (Gábor Novai, Dániel Ferenc Szabó, Péter Baksa). We reached the finals of the Talentométer talent search, and subsequently, we had the opportunity to perform at more and more venues. In 2013, I earned my Jazz Singer Performing Artist degree. As part of my thesis, I recorded five tracks in a studio. The quartet toured regularly during the following year, and then, from 2014, a hiatus followed as I awaited the arrival of my first son.
the second Alma Bencze Quartet
When the opportunity to return to the stage finally arrived, the second Alma Bencze Quartet was formed (Máté Lachegyi, Péter Baksa, Ákos Huszár). Two concert-rich years followed, marked by productive collaboration and numerous arrangements, eventually culminating in the recording of a full album titled Invitation.
Family Duties
At the end of 2017, I stepped back once again while expecting my second son. It was during this time that the world lost the wonderful Juli Fábián, who was one of my main inspirations and role models in becoming a singer. I was deeply honored to be among the 16 vocalists invited to perform at the concert dedicated to her memory. It was there that I met Péter Pallai and Gyuri Kerekes, to whom I owe a great deal for the development of my career.
Alma Bencze Project 4
After the birth of my second son, I organized my concerts on a project basis with revolving collaborators, as the previous Quartet lineup could no longer be maintained due to "geographical incompatibility" (the Budapest–Amsterdam–Pécs triangle). During these Project concerts, I had the privilege of playing with many top-tier musicians (Richárd Révész, Péter Szendőfi, János Nagy, Tibor Fonay, and many others). In 2019, I was invited to the Müpa Jazz Showcase and the legendary 606 Club in London, which was one of the greatest concert experiences of my life. You can read the review of that performance here.
Alma bencze quintet
Following the forced hiatus caused by COVID, the Alma Bencze Quintet was formed in 2021 (Dániel Mester – saxophone/clarinet, László Vörös – piano, Ádám Bögöthy – double bass, Zsolt Kovács – drums), debuting with great success at the Budapest Jazz Club. For our "Movie Night" program, we selected songs featured in films close to our hearts, including works by directors such as Ridley Scott, Guy Ritchie, Woody Allen, and Steven Spielberg. By the end of the year, we prepared a Christmas program, which we performed at the MÜPA Ice Stage, the Hegyvidék Advent, and the Jazzmine Club in Vác. We also recorded one track from this program in a studio, which can be heard here.
Parallel to the formation of the quintet, Ádám Bögöthy and I launched the AlmAcoustic Duot through which we perform regularly at weddings and corporate events in addition to our concerts.
"Day job"
Alongside my music career, I have been working at Randstad, since 2013 as a part-time member of the marketing team. I am grateful that my two professions coexist so well, allowing me to pursue both without compromise.
A heartwarming intersection of my two careers occurred at the 2022 Randstad Award, where the Alma Bencze Quintet provided the music at the Várkert Bazár.
events
Alongside my career as a jazz singer, I have performed regularly at weddings and events for many years. I am most often invited when there is a need for high-quality, atmospheric background music.
It is a truly special experience to sing at weddings; even though the couples are usually strangers to me, I am always touched by the magic of the occasion, and I am grateful to be a part of it. Click here for more information.
watch our videos
Alma Bencze Quartet - Angel Eyes
One of our first quartet studio recordings, featuring a collaborative arrangement.
Don't know why - Norah Jones cover
Our oldest studio recording, in a vocal-guitar duo formation.
Alma Bencze Quartet - Invitation
In 2017, we recorded a full album's worth of material, with Invitation as its title track.
Winter Wonderland
The AlmAcoustic Duo’s first recording, featuring our favorite Christmas song.
Honeysuckle Rose - Live in London
One of the tracks from my performance in London, accompanied by local musicians whom I met there for the very first time.
Alma Bencze Quartet - Sleigh Ride
Christmas studio recording in a quartet formation.