For the Mikovci family in Kecerovce, music has been a way of life for generations.  Kecerovce is an isolated village in Eastern Slovakia, but the music of the Mikovci has been heard around the world.  Vojtek Miko has performed at festivals and concerts in Slovakia, Poland and Czechia, and has gained a following on Facebook and YouTube.  He has gained special recognition for songs he’s written and performed about his Roman Catholic faith, in both the Roma and Slovak languages. 

Young Vojto first started playing guitar at age 7, learning from his father, a violinist who’d performed internationally.  “My father always pushed me to stay in music,” he says, “but I didn’t need pushing.  I loved it.  I took my guitar with me everywhere I went, and I always found people to play with.” 

Now 45, Vojtek currently works a manual labor job in the city, so he doesn’t always have time to practice and write new music.  But he strives to pass on his musical legacy to his own children.  They’ve grown up singing and playing, and they often perform with him at parties and special events.  “With Roma music, it’s not just about skill,” he says.  “What’s more important is the feeling you put into it.  That’s how I teach my children – to feel the music.”