Fool Moon (band)

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Fool Moon

| image = FoolMoon2018-2.jpg

| image_size =

| landscape = yes

| caption = Fool Moon in 2021

| origin = Szeged, Hungary

| genre = A cappella, vocal pop

| years_active = 2001–present

| label = Schubert Music Publishing, MDB Records, Warner-Magneoton

| associated_acts =

| website = [http://www.foolmoon.hu foolmoon.hu]

| current_members = *Gábor Molnár

Miklós Németh
Barnabás Wodala
Tamás Mészáros
Bence Vavra

| past_members = *Máté Deák (2001-2002)

András Deák (2001-2003)
Ignác Czutor (2001-2008)
Gergő Rácz (2005-2015)
Márk Zentai (2015-2017)

}}

Fool Moon is an a cappella group formed in Szeged, Hungary in September 2001. Through their out-of-the-ordinary music lessons, master classes and TV appearances, Fool Moon has brought the pop-acappella genre to the centre of attention in Hungary.

Fool Moon has so far released 7 albums, got 13 international and Hungarian awards and prizes, and the band has collaborated with many of the most prestigious artists of the Hungarian music scene.

The group released its debut album titled Stars in 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, Russian and in English; a cappella versions of songs from artists such as Sting, Eric Clapton, Bruno Mars, Michael Jackson and George Michael. Moreover, their album Acappelland (2008) contains a song in Bantu.

In 2008, their joint project with Kriszta Kovats titled Arany-óra was a powerful attempt to press the limits of performing Hungarian literature in a cappella.

In 2012, Fool Moon composed their first original Hungarian pop a cappella hit, the first Hungarian a cappella 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 on Hungarian pop charts.

Fool Moon also pioneered as the first acappella group to enter A Dal, the Hungarian round of the Eurovision Song Contest,{{cite web|url=http://www.hirado.hu/2014/12/12/megvan-a-dal-elodontoseinek-teljes-nevsora/|title=Megvan a Dal elődöntőseinek teljes névsora|publisher=hirado.hu|date=13 December 2014|accessdate=7 February 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064212/http://www.hirado.hu/2014/12/12/megvan-a-dal-elodontoseinek-teljes-nevsora/|archivedate=4 March 2016}} where they came in second with their song It Can't Be Over, which placed the band as well as pop acappella in the spotlight in Hungary.

Collaborations

Ever since the band formed, Fool Moon has worked together with many other Hungarian artists including Gábor Presser (“1 koncert”), Zséda (“Ünnep”), Péter Szolnoki (Bon-Bon album Dupla élvezet), Andrea Malek (“Retúr”), Adrienn Szekeres (“Olyan mint te”), Edina Szirtes (“Mókus”), Kriszta Kováts (“Arany-óra”), Magna Cum Laude (“Magnatofon”), András Laár ("Edebede bácsi a télapó") and Marton Edvin.

In addition, the band took part in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Belgrade in 2008 with the Hungarian contestant Csézy as backing singers.

Performances

Fool Moon regularly sings at a number of international festivals, in which they have shared the stage with many stars of the international a cappella scene (New York Voices, The Swingles, [https://rock4.nl Rock4], Acappella ExpreSSS, Vocal Sampling, Idea of North, Naturally 7). Throughout their career, Fool Moon has performed in 15 countries including Russia, Taiwan, Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands.

Cultural activities

With the aim of increasing the popularity of a cappella music, in 2005 Fool Moon launched the one and only a cappella event in Hungary, the [https://acappella.hu 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 1000 lectures on the history of a cappella singing throughout Hungary, organized by the Hungarian Philharmonic Society for 6 to 18-year-old students.

International and Hungarian Awards

2003 - Ward Swingle Award 3. prize
2005 - Ward Swingle Award 1. prize
2006 - Taiwan International Acappella Award
1. prize
Best Soloist (Ignac Czutor)
Best Arrangement (Miklos Nemeth for "Love, Love")

2008 - CARA nomination in Best Folk/World Song category ("Love, Love")
2010 - Best Arrangement ("Love, Love"), Solevoci International Acappella Contest
2013 - Music & Soul CD - Fonogram prize nomination{{Cite web |title=Jelöltek 2013 |url=https://www.fonogram.hu/jeloltek-2013 |work=Fonogram |date=27 January 2013 |accessdate=7 February 2025 |language=hu}}
2015 - Kölcsey-prize of Szeged City for the band's cultural activities{{Cite web |title=A múzeumban köszöntötték a kultúra kiválóságait |url=https://szeged.hu/archiv/25059/a-muzeumban-koszontottek-a-kultura-kivalosagait |work=szeged.hu |accessdate=7 February 2025 |language=hu |first=Euro Bioinvest |last=Kft |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501195802/https://szeged.hu/archiv/25059/a-muzeumban-koszontottek-a-kultura-kivalosagait |archivedate=1 May 2021 }}
2015 - Best of Budapest prize
2015 - CARA nomination for The Best Humor Song category (Hello.tourist!, arr. Németh Miklós){{Cite web |title=2015 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards Nominees |url=https://casa.org/2015-contemporary-a-cappella-recording-awards-nominees/ |work=Contemporary A Cappella Society |date=23 February 2015 |accessdate=7 February 2025}}
2017 - Moscow Spring Acappella Contest 1. prize
2018 - Moscow Spring Acappella Contest 1. prize
2019 - Return 2 Acappelland - Fonogram prize nomination{{Cite web |title=Jelöltek 2019 |url=http://www.fonogram.hu/jeloltek-2019 |work=Fonogram |date=14 March 2019 |accessdate=7 February 2025 |language=hu}}
2019 - 2 CARAs (Contemporary Acappella Recording Award) for Best Folk/World Song (Duna vizén..., Szirtes Edina, arr. Németh Miklós) and Best Funk/Disco Song (Derzhi, Dima Bilan, arr. Molnár Gábor)
2020 - 2 AVA (A Cappella Video Awards) nominations in Outstanding Special/Visual Effects (Neverending Story, arr. Németh Miklós, video by Molnár Gábor) and Best Rock Video (Stairway to Heaven, arr. Németh Miklós, video by Molnár Gábor){{Cite web |title=2021 A Cappella Video Awards Nominees |url=https://casa.org/2021-a-cappella-video-awards-nominees/ |work=Contemporary A Cappella Society |date=5 December 2020 |accessdate=7 February 2025 }}
2021 - AVA winner in Best Rock Video category - Stairway to Heaven (arr. Németh Miklós, video by Molnár Gábor){{Cite web |title=2021 A Cappella Video Award Results |url=https://casa.org/2021-a-cappella-video-award-results/ |work=Contemporary A Cappella Society |date=27 February 2021 |accessdate=7 February 2025}}{{Cite web|title=Stairway To Heaven - Fool Moon feat. Ludovique & FMaN (Acappella Cover)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e-Eis49Fhc|language=hu-HU}}
2024 - 4 AVA (Acappella Video Awards) nominations - (I've Had) The Time of My Life feat. Nika (Best Show Tunes/Soundtrack/Theme Song Video, Best Pop Video, Best Funk/Disco Video, Outcasting Special/Visual Effects)
2025 - AVA winner in Best Funk/Disco Video category - (I've Had) The Time of My Life feat. Nika