A height of 157 centimeters, with a tendency for obesity, bad eyesight, and not many fans - yet today, Schubert may well be the most beloved composer. He wrote more than 1000 pieces: songs, quartets, symphonies, operas, masses and various piano works. All composed during a very short lifetime: Schubert only lived 31 years - even Mozart outlived him. To this day, the dual nature heard in his music, his contradictory personality, his tendency for unsurpassed joy and extreme despair together makes many people curious. The Budapest Strings Chamber Orchestra presents this concert series to get closer to Schubert's personality through his Symphony No. 5, the Mass in G Major, and the string ensemble version of his famous quartet, Death and the Maiden.

The quartet was formed in 2017 by Attila Rieger and Péter Rozsnyói whom both graduated at the Jazz department of the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy in 2004. Their common work is inspired by the appreciation of great performers and composers of the swing and bebop era. The special sound of their lineup is marked by signature sound of the Fender Rhodes, the analogue electric piano of the 70s. The painstaking rhythm section of Zoltán Oláh and László Csízi is the precise engine of the quartet. Their performances commemorate musicians like Wes Montgomery, Duke Pearsons, Bobby Timmons or Phineas Newborn. In the repertoire of the orchestra, however, they also have their own compositions. Their play is characterized by the joy of dynamism and coexistence, in addition to cleanliness. attilarieger.com bassjazz.com/BassJazz/Zoltan_Olah  Photos by Zsolt Birtalan

The 1st Contemporary Chamber Music Festival was created by the Aladár Tóth Music School to promote contemporary music in music education as an inspiration to students and composers alike. Founded in 1903, the Aladár Tóth Music School was the first institution in Hungary to offer basic music education as part of the school system. The school's core philosophy is to give students the lifelong joy of music even if they choose not to have a professional career. The gala concert will feature young players selected by the jury of the 1st Contemporary Chamber Music Festival.

Resulting from the meeting of D.U.O. (Christine Bertocchi and Guillaume Orti) and BALANCE (János Ávéd, Márton Fenyvesi and Ákos Benkó), with the expertise in electronic processing of Olivier Sens, this new project is exploring the relationships between acoustic music, electronic sound transformation and video mapping. By using the collaborative work by two French artists, the drawer Yann Bagot and video maker Didier Legaré-Gravel, TWINNING creates a dream-like atmosphere where sound and image activities depend from each other. Alternating between original compositions and oriented improvisations in a caleidoscopic manner, the audience is invited to embark for an abstract journey through new audio and visual landscapes. The project is supported by DRAC Bourgogne Franche-Comté and Spédidam.

Dialogues with (the) Music, Gábor Csalog's unconventional piano recital series continues in 2019/2020. The pianist will be in dialogue not just with his favourite composers and pieces but with musicologist Gergely Fazekas as well, creating an animated discussion in the first half of the concerts. The second occasion presents dance music encompassing three centuries from Bach to Stravinsky.

Agora muda tudo (Now Everything Changes) is a cycle of songs for voice and ensemble with music by Nuno Côrte-Real and poems by José Luís Peixoto, performed by Maria João and Ensemble Darcos. In 2018 SPA (Portuguese Authors Society) awarded AGORA MUDA TUDO the prize for best musical work of the year. This project shares different artistic ideas and congregates two Portuguese authors who, from their individual contemporaneity, contribute to the construction of a Lusophone identity. Seeking in the poet verses modern tones and sonorities, but leaving spaces for improvisation, technique so characteristic of the style and character of the singer, Nuno Côrte-Real’s music travels through territories as distinct as jazz, contemporary, traditional and classic music. AGORA MUDA TUDO was released by Odradek Records in 2019 and has been receiving the best reviews, leading to its international projection.

Choose Cheese is a young jazz group “with aesthetic consistency avoiding any compromises”, as Kornél Zipernyovszky put it in Magyar Narancs. There are many sources in the music of the quartet – mainstream, avant-garde and free jazz, blues, Hungarian folk music, contemporary and classical music – and it is important to them to summon iconic figures of international and Hungarian music. At the same time, their purpose is to create from existing or non-existing style elements more in their music than the just the sum total of them. During their performances, in their own compositions, improvisations, or self-decomposing free improvisations, they emphasize compositional and improvisation techniques, different from those of the mainstream. Their most common means is melodic, linear and collective improvisation, and the steady rolling of each other’s ideas. The group is an open formation, so they often invite guests to their performances, like for their Opus debut last August the talented young pianist, Tamás Papp. For this year's concert, they are daring something even bigger: in the first part of the concert the quartet plays from their existing reperoire, while for the second part a very powerful piano and wind instruments section will be added to perform the most recent piece of the Pozsár-pupil leader, Márton Menyhért, composed specially for this occasion. As Márton puts it, “a piece with a quite different instrumentation and composition technique than used in jazz will be heard, played by a larger apparatus. The material may sound like jazz from afar, but reveals itself as something completely different while listening closely.”  This concert is supported by NKA Hangfoglaló Program.

A podium conversation with Dr. Karin Schumacher. Music Therapy Club is an open meeting-place of music therapists, medical, educational and social workers, as well as of anybody interested in music therapy. (In Hungarian) Free entry!

Two awards and the audience prize at the world biggest jazz-piano-solo competition of the jazzfestival Montreux (CH), a lot of enthusiastic and international reviews for his CDs and tours all over the globe with his own projects – David Helbock, the pianoplayer coming from a small little village in Austria called Koblach, has with no doubt a great international musical career. Since 2016 he is an exclusive artist with the well-known German jazz label, ACT-Music, with whom he released already two albums – Into the Mystic (2016) and Tour d’Horizon (2018) before his recent one in August 2019, a solopiano album, entitled Playing John Williams.   The new program of Helbock’s 4th solopiano album – former ones included Emotions (2003), Time (2007) and Purple (2012) – deals with the music of John Williams, one of the most famous film music composers of all time, who wrote nearly all the scores to Steven Spielberg’s blockbusters. With Playing John Williams, Helbock connects seamlessly to two of his former projects. On Purple (2012, Traumton) the pianist dealt with compositions of the legendary pop artist Prince and already back then he transferred and reduced pop culture into his unique and creative solopiano language, while his trio album Into the Mystic featured mystical stories from different mythologies, and there they touched the music of John Williams already, playing an arrangement of his film music for Star Wars – a film full of cross connections between different mythological elements. In David Helbock’s present program film music from blockbusters like Indiana Jones, Harry Potter to Jaws or Schindler’s List are reduced to their essence and shine like new in unique, creative and jazzy solopiano arrangements.

After two decades of performing in different ensembles, like Vanilla Riot trio, Trus!, Velkro, Litošt, or the Borderless Orchestra / Senza Confini Orchestra, saxophonist Boštjan Simon formed in 2017 his own Slovenian-Italian quintet, entitled There Be Monsters, after an English term used to designate, in old maps, realms of unknown, unexplored territories supposed to be inhabited by monsters and other mythological creatures. As Boštjan puts it, the band’s music “focuses on the area of ​​the dividing line between familiar and unknown, composed and open soundscapes.” Following the 2017 debut of There Be Monsters on the Klopotec label, the quintet released their sophomore album, The Ark, in 2019, where musicians found inspiration in the polyrhythmic keys of African Pygmies, archaic blues and the tradition of improvised music.  The Ark by Boštjan Simon: There Be Monsters

We live in a time when the boundaries between our analog and digital lives are becoming more blurred than ever. The members of the band explore these fused concepts in a dialogue of interchanging sounds, sometimes arising from an indistinguishable code. With this convergence of musicians – constantly orbiting each other – comes the expression of inner ruminations on our current collective consciousness. These colliding perspectives bring about different realities and sensory experiences, leaving us with the need to further process and explore. Each musician has his own musical background, which is reflected in the wide spectrum of musical genres that appear on album. It shifts from deep ambient and floating textures to very grounded groove moments. At this point in its evolution, the band strongly believes in making music in the moment, which is why everything was recorded live, with all musicians playing in the same big room, over the course of one day. A group of experienced musicians and good friends created a new musical constellation which is a cross-over of dub, beat music, drum and bass and ambiental exploration. Music as alive and changing creativity, where every band-member has equal role in musical dialogue. The Path of 01 by Ecliptic

Israeli born bass player, producer and composer, Liran Donin, is currently touring his debut album 8 Songs out on Cavalo Records to some rave reviews (Best 10 Jazz Albums of 2018 by The Guardian, 10 Best Releases of 2018 by Jazzwise magazine). With Liran’s distinctive powerhouse groove and his virtuosic approach to electric and double bass, his innovative sound brings together both his long-standing involvement at the forefront of the jazz music scene alongside his musical background. Donin has worked alongside an array of cutting edge artists and bands spanning a wide musical spectrum such as Led Bib, Polar Bear, Shabaka Hutchins, Malatu Astatke, Chrissie Hynde etc. His exciting and high energy band, 1000 Boats, featuring world class musicians as Josh Arcoleo (Mark Guiliana) tenor sax, Chris Williams (Let Spin) alto sax, Maria Chiara Argiro (These New Puritans) piano and Ben Brown (Waaju) on drums, were met with standing ovations at recent sold out gigs across the UK and Europe and currently is preparing to release a live album recorded in Nijmegen Music Meeting Jazz Festival with its first single to see light in 22/11/2019.  lirandonin.com

“Spotted early on as one of the most vibrant hopes of the Hungarian scene, saxophonist Viktor Tóth soon developed his own style influenced strongly by Ornette Coleman. With bass player György Orbán, a pillar of several groups of Béla Szakcsi Lakatos and the famous cimbalom player Miklós Lukács he offers a formula without battery, very open and lyrical, where his warm play makes one think on Lee Konitz.Lukács has a role which could be that of the piano, but the particular timbre of his instrument carries the trio in a muffled atmosphere and his ability to play a rhythmic melody releases the bass, which thus offers brilliant soliloquies. One might think that the cimbalom brings just a "Hungarian" patina to a rather conventional jazz construction; fortunately the always malleable Lukács avoids offering any ‘world’ temptation to Viktor Tóth’s wide range of timbres.”Franpi Barriaux - CitzenJazz tothviktor.hu

C-dúr, c-moll. Három bé, nyolc év és egy teljes világ választja el egymástól ezt a két művet, amelyekkel útjára indítjuk új, beszélgetős Beethoven-sorozatunkat. Szinte hihetetlen, honnan hová jutott el a „Sors” szimfónia a bemutató idején már erősen nagyothalló szerzője. Egyetlen, nem is túl hosszú életút elég volt számára, hogy olyan széles alapokat vessen az eljövendő romantikának, amit sokszor csak a modernség tudott teljesen felhasználni vakmerő felhőkarcolói tervezésekor. A két szimfónia kontrasztja jól megmutatja, mekkora hatása volt egy szabályok és hagyományok uralta világban az egyéniség forradalmának, amely forradalom első és legfontosabb hőse idén lenne 250 éves.

The closing concert of László Sándor's lecture series features works by three prominent Hungarian composers of today, Máté Balogh, László Sándor, and Péter Tornyai.Supporter:Peter Eötvös Contemporary Music Foundation

“A new prog-jazz supergroup”  Jazzwise“British Punk Jazz with a wiry electrical crackle”  Uncut“An original identity that promises to be one of UK jazz's best...”  The Guardian“Eclectic, impassioned and mind-blowing, Let Spin have shifted up a few more gears into the stratosphere – and it's a blast”  LondonJazz Let Spin are a versatile post-jazz four piece with an egalitarian musical ethos. Comprising composer-instrumentalists Moss Freed (guitar), Ruth Goller (bass), Finlay Panter (drums), and Chris Williams (saxophone), the group formed in 2012, when Freed invited three of his favourite musicians to fill a one-off series of live dates at short notice. Recognising an irrepressible musical connection, they continued in earnest, developing their sound over a pair of critically-acclaimed studio albums for Efpi Records, and a number of live shows throughout the UK. As with Phronesis and The Bad Plus, each band member composes for the group, with arrangements often forged collectively in rehearsal, and all decisions made democratically. Each contributes an equal number of compositions to every album, and when a decision is to be made, everyone has their say until a unanimous agreement is reached. Their critically-acclaimed albums Let Spin (2014) and Let Go (2015), exemplify the success of this approach, highlighting the personalities and strengths of each member, alongside the sonic vision of the group as a whole. Their forthcoming third album, scheduled for release on Efpi Records in Spring 2020, extends that vision further. Created in close collaboration with producer Alex Killpartrick, the eight-track collection is a triumph in experimental post-jazz, showcasing the band's ever-broadening web of musical influences, deepening interest in production techniques, and individual progression as composers and performers. With their particular blend of elusive melodies, heavy grooves, euphoric improv and playfulness with time, Let Spin’s electrifying live shows have left UK audiences awe-struck. Their inspirations are far-reaching: from Rage Against The Machine, to Hermeto Pascoal; Bill Frisell to J. S. Bach – coalesced into a sound that is truly their own. The enthusiasm of each performer has led them to work with some of contemporary jazz’s most exciting acts: Laura Jurd, Sarathy Korwar, Led Bib, Beats & Pieces Big Band and Melt Yourself Down amongst others. Yet ultimately, it is within this combination that their creativity truly shines. facebook.com/LetSpin 

A jó meséknek dallama van, mi pedig arra vállalkozunk veletek együtt, hogy ezen a délelőttön Lackfi János legszebb/legviccesebb/legfurább történetei mögé felfessük a hozzá való zenéket. Mi hozzuk az alapokat: egy szimfonikus zenekart, sok-sok hangszert nektek is, kódszavakat és jelnyelvet – egy igazi közösségi zenés improvizációt, amiben mindenki zenekari taggá válhat. És még szolfézs sem kell hozzá… egyszóval nem érdemes kihagyni!

Johannes Ockeghem was the most famous – and indeed, most mysterious – composer of the Franco-Flemish School in the last half of the 15th century, and is often considered the most influential composer between Guillaume Dufay and Josquin des Prez. In addition to being a renowned composer, he was also an honored singer, choirmaster, and teacher. The lamentos written upon his death clearly show that the following generation of composers saw him as a father figure - despite the fact that all signs point to his extraordinary independence, fantasy, and his irrational degree of freedom. János Bali's series expores Ockeghem's art, personality, and life with musical performances following the lectures.

C-dúr, c-moll. Három bé, nyolc év és egy teljes világ választja el egymástól ezt a két művet, amelyekkel útjára indítjuk új, beszélgetős Beethoven-sorozatunkat. Szinte hihetetlen, honnan hová jutott el a „Sors” szimfónia a bemutató idején már erősen nagyothalló szerzője. Egyetlen, nem is túl hosszú életút elég volt számára, hogy olyan széles alapokat vessen az eljövendő romantikának, amit sokszor csak a modernség tudott teljesen felhasználni vakmerő felhőkarcolói tervezésekor. A két szimfónia kontrasztja jól megmutatja, mekkora hatása volt egy szabályok és hagyományok uralta világban az egyéniség forradalmának, amely forradalom első és legfontosabb hőse idén lenne 250 éves.

What remains of a love affair that has ended? For Susana Sawoff and Raphael Meinhart the answer is music. The two have reunited as an artistic duo to form EXIT UNIVERSE. Their debut Because the World is Round reveals a unique symbiosis between the two: in perfectly balanced soundscapes thirteen songs unveil a touching intimacy and emotional depth. Their music meanders between Jazz, Indie and Neo classic and reminds us of Chilly Gonzales, Steve Reich und Radiohead. They playfully create haunting melodies, weaving piano, vocals, vibraphone, marimba, drum pad and a glockenspiel into a colourful tapestry of sound that just might put a spell on you. Raphael Meinhart and Susana Sawoff are EXIT UNIVERSE. Privately they once were a pair, and now they are just that musically, proving the old adage that opposites attract each other. He being the laconic avant-garde musician and she the eloquent, instinctive voice. He, the academically trained vibraphonist and she the self-taught pianist. On their first album together the ethereal lightness of the vibraphone meets the dark melancholy of the grand piano. For Susana EXIT UNIVERSE is not just another band-project: “There’s a reason why twosomes work so well. A duo is like matrimony. It can only work after a creative and personal encounter.” In Because the World is Round EXIT UNIVERSE celebrates nothing less than the beauty of all that is finite. Whereas the word “celebrate” may be bit exaggerated, because what Susana and Raphael do is dance and play poetically with the passing of things. The Broadcasting Commission of Hessen in Germany once wrote about Susana that “When this lady sings the sun rises”. The inexplicable, bittersweet moments of the last sun rays of a waning afternoon also herald a new day. There cannot be more fitting music to celebrate this magic.

C. Ph. E. Bach was born in Weimar as the second son of Johann Sebastian Bach, in 1714. He never had a teacher other than his father, for whom he had enormous respect throughout his life. During his lifetime, Carl Philipp Emanuel was esteemed as the bearer of the name Bach. In the 19th century, on the rediscovery of his father’s works, the Bach boys including Carl Philipp Emanuel were largely overshadowed. However, the music of C. P. E. Bach always had its passionate enthusiasts and interpreters. Today, those endeavours in this field hallmarked by Miklós Spányi and Concerto Armonico are recognized worldwide. Spányi’s recording for Swedish BIS Records of C. P. E. Bach’s entire concertos for keyboard started in 1994. The entire works series comprising 20 albums was finally completed in 2014, in time for the 300th anniversary of the birth of the composer. The series that attracted international attention is today considered a benchmark in the interpretation of the composer’s music.

“One of Blue Note’s greatest mainstream hard bop dates, Song for My Father  is Horace Silver’s signature LP and the peak of a discography already studded with classics. Silver was always a master at balancing jumping rhythms with complex harmonies for a unique blend of earthiness and sophistication, and Song for My Father  has perhaps the most sophisticated air of all his albums. Part of the reason is the faintly exotic tint that comes from Silver’s flowering fascination with rhythms and modes from overseas -- the bossa nova beat of the classic Song for My Father, for example, or the Eastern-flavored theme of Calcutta Cutie, or the tropical-sounding rhythms of Que Pasa?  Subtle touches like these alter Silver’s core sound just enough to bring out its hidden class, which is why the album has become such a favorite source of upscale ambience. Song for My Father was actually far less focused in its origins than the typical Silver project; it dates from the period when Silver was disbanding his classic quintet and assembling a new group, and it features performances from both bands. Still, it hangs together remarkably well, and Silver’s writing is at its tightest and catchiest. The title cut became Silver’s best-known composition, partly because it provided the musical basis for jazz-rock group Steely Dan’s biggest pop hit Rikki Don’t Lose That Number. Another hard bop standard is introduced here in the lone non-Silver tune, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson’s The Kicker, covered often for the challenge of its stuttering phrases and intricate rhythms. Yet somehow it comes off as warm and inviting as the rest of the album, which is necessary for all jazz collections -- mainstream hard bop rarely comes as good as Song for My Father.” Steve Huey - allmusic.com

G À N N A is the Berlin based ensemble of the Ukrainian singer Ganna Gryniva that features international talents of young up and coming musicians of the European music scene. The music courageously bridges several worlds from jazz to folklore to experimental and neoclassical esthetics. Inspired by several musical research travels in various regions of Ukraine,  G À N N A  awakens the Ukrainian folklore for a second spring and takes its listeners on a journey. Highly virtuoso and playful, but also full of melancholy, the musicians immerse themselves in the history and the mystery of the various music traditions and create a neo-native language. G À N N A  is an active part of the jazz and world music scene in Germany and Europe. They had the opportunity to present their music to national and international audiences, like at the Preveza Jazz Festival in Greece, Urban Music Hall in Odessa, Jazz Club 32 in Kiev, Jazzmile Thuringia, various locations in Berlin and many more. Upcoming concerts will take place in Konzerthaus Berlin, A-Trane Jazz Club Berlin and others. The ensemble has been for three times awarded the Berlin Senat grant to support  G À N N A´s tours throughout Germany. In October 2018, G À N N A  received the Thuringia Jazz Mile Award as “Newcomer of the Year”. In the same year, the band was awarded a New Liszt Foundation scholarship supporting the recording of their debut-album, D Y K I  L Y S  (Wild Fox in Ukrainian), which will be released in August 2020, in cooperation of Double Moon Records and Jazz Thing Next Generation. ganna-gryniva.de facebook.com/GannaDykiLys 

The music of the Attila Gyárfás Trio is free and ethereal on one hand, while it surprises with sharp contrasts and reveal longer-term metamorphoses on the other. In their performance, the sincere co-play of the three musicians plays much greater role than the presentation of their individual musical abilities. The compositional elements of their repertoire are often accompanied by improvised passages, connected suite-like to each other, thus creating a bigger unit out of them. The trio was founded in 2013 by the talented drummer and composer, returning recently from the Netherlands, Attila Gyárfás, the highly versatile Artisjus-prize-winning guitarist, Márton Fenyvesi, and the sought-after bass player on the jazz scene in Rome, Marco Zenini. Cloud Factory, their first album was released in March, 2018 on the Sinistra label, while their brand new one, Randomity, will have its debut on the present concert. attilagyarfas.bandcamp.com 

Formerly knows as the Rondo Quartet, the Dohnányi Quartet's three concerts of this season are linked by their Russian aspects. In his three string quartets, dedicated to the Russian ambassador to Vienna, Count Razumovsky, Beethoven worked on several Russian folk themes. In addition to one of the three Beethoven string quartets (Op. 59, 1806) each concert presents also a work by Russian composers of different periods, Tchaikovsky (1871), Prokofiev (1931) and Schnittke (1983). And as an evocation of an important root of Russian culture, the Rondo Quartet plays Eastern Orthodox choral music between the works, this time of course being reworked for stringed instruments.

Born October 27, 1975, in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, Igor Lumpert began his professional training at age 19 at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz, Austria. During this period, he was a member of Munich-based band Sidewinders, winner of the“Best Jazz Group of Germany” award. After completing his studies with honors, Igor was invited by one of the world’s finest bassists, Reggie Workman, to study at the New School University in New York City. He received a scholarship and moved to New York in fall 2000. In April 2002, Igor was selected for the New School All-Star Wayne Shorter Ensemble, which performed at the “Beacons In Jazz” award ceremony at the Supper club, where Mr. Shorter was honored.  In 2011 Igor was commisioned to create a piece for a closure of European Capital of Culture. With multimedia artist Zeljka Blaksic he created Resistance of the Earth, a multimedia project that combines several artistic genres; from video, performance, 16 mm film to live music. The theme of the project covers the world of natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes and tornados. In addition to his work as a performer and composer, he has an active career as an educator, having taught master classes and improvisation lessons throughout Europe and the United States. His group, Innertextures, working since 2004 in different lienups, represents Igor’s passion for musical journeys to new and daring places – which was nicely proven by the quartet’s two tremendous former gigs at the Opus. Eleven, their fourth album, released in 2018 on Clean Feed recrods, earned critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic: “Clarity, angularity, consistency are the most distinguishing characteristics of the album Eleven, created by saxophonist Igor Lumpert & Innertextures. M-Base, Mahler and Mingus are keywords, too. (...) Eleven is a regenerative, joyful work of complex music. Its bracing and encouraging power could help to face our world's chaos, with its juxtaposition of misery and joy.” Henning Bolte, All About Jazz“The post-bop tensions of the Big Apple, the obliquities of the folk melody, but also an original funk brilliance are the ingredients of a record that swarms with ideas and energy, not rarely explosive rhythmically under the oblique lines of the winds. Lovers of the most sophisticated urban-jazz, this record is for you!” Enrico Bettinelo, Giornale della musica“The musical formula remains the same, but now more matured and with other nuances: a kind of «hyper-mode bop» with funk elements and some aspects of Slovenian folk music” Blurb

The Artisjus and Gramofon Award winning jazz guitarist and composer, Gábor Juhász has recently released a one-hour live video recording with his trio. The live recording was created the way Juhász's heroes used to work in the studio in the 1950s: no cuts, no edits, no post production. The video features new compositions by Gábor and some of the trio's favourite jazz standards, including It Might As Well Be Spring and Goodbye Pork Pie Hat. To celebrate Juhász's birthday, the seasoned trio will perform these songs live at Opus Jazz Club with a special appearance by saxophone player Béla Ágoston, known for his creativity and sense of humour.

Bacsó Kristóf generációjának egyik legkiemelkedőbb és legsokoldalúbb előadó- és zeneszerző egyénisége. A Modern Art Orchestrával – melynek alapító tagja – 2014-ben készítette el szerzői lemezét Circular címmel. Szívügyének tekintett triója a Bacsó Kristóf Triad, a velük rögzített, Pannon Blue című lemez az év albuma díjat kapta a Gramofon zenei magazintól. 2012 óta tanít a Liszt Ferenc Zeneművészeti Egyetem Jazz Tanszékén. Zenei világára jellemző, hogy a jazz és a kortárs zenei elemek mellé szívesen emeli be a kelet-európai életérzést. "Zenét szerezni csak őszintén lehet, nekem pedig ösztönösen ez a hangzásvilág szűrődik bele az ötleteimbe komponáláskor. Számos külföldi fellépés alkalmával kaptam olyan visszajelzést, hogy a zenémen érződnek a magyar vagy kelet-európai gyökereim”. A MAO-val közös munkáról úgy nyilatkozott: „izgalmas dolog részese lenni egy olyan zenei műhelynek, ahol az ember szabadon kipróbálhatja az elképzeléseit, az pedig felemelő érzés, amikor a papír és ceruza mellett megálmodott zenei ötleteket és történeteket egy egész zenekar szólaltatja meg”. A február 16-ai koncerten több szerzemény is elhangzik majd a 2014-es Circular című lemezről, amely a “Revelation” értékelést kapta a neves francia szaklap, a Jazzmagazine kritikusától. Felcsendül majd a Lunar Dance is, mellyel Bacsó Kristóf a Brussel Jazz Orchestra nemzetközi zeneszerző versenyén a legjobb négy közé jutott 2011-ben. A koncert vendégművésze Szalóki Ági, aki egy vadonatúj kompozíció énekes szólistájaként tűnik majd fel. A koncert első 15 percében az Artisjus támogatásával megvalósuló MAO Master Class – big band zeneszerzői akadémia hallgatójaként bemutatkozik Varga Dániel szaxofonos – zeneszerző, aki vendégjátékával is színesíti majd a közös műhelymunka eredményeként megszülető produkciót.

The Argentinian composer Fabián Panisello is the founder and artistic director of one of Spain's leading contemporary music groups. The Plural Ensemble presents works by leading contemporary composers and regularly collaborates with Péter Eötvös. This time, at the personal invitation of Peter Eötvös, he will come to Budapest to teach young conductors and composers during an international workshop. The public meeting will give the opportunity to the Hungarian audience to hear about Panisello’s inspirations as a composer as well as his work as a senior teacher at the Reina Sofia Academy of Music in Madrid and guest professor at the China Conservatory in Beijing. Program of the mini-concert: Choral refletions – Biltine (viola solo)Canciones de Silvia (soprano-piano duet) Host: Gergely Fazekas, music historian Language of the talks: English. Supporter: National Cultural Fund Partner: Instituto Cervantes www.eotvosmusicfoundation.org www.facebook.com/petereotvosfoundation

Mozart írta a XVIII. század híres mannheimi zenekaráról, hogy az egy olyan hadsereg, amely csupa generálisból áll. A Virtuózok Kamaraegyüttes pedig egy olyan zenei formáció, amely szólisták társas játékára épül. Ilyen összetételű együttes nem szerepel a klasszikus zene kánonjában. Tíz hangszer: hegedűk, fuvolák, klarinét, brácsa, cselló, bőgő és zongora – ki hallott már ilyet? És mégis: ezt álmodta meg az együttes házi zeneszerzője, művészeti vezetője és zongoristája, Szüts Apor. Ha egyik oldalról nézzük, egy bonsai-fára emlékeztető, mini zenekar, ha a másikról, akkor egy kibővített vonósötös. Az együttes Apor átirataiban mindenre képes: nagyzenekari darabok, versenyművek, szóló kompozíciók szólalnak meg, az eredeti élményt tükrözve, mégis másként. Ismert művek, sajátos zenei olvasatban. Mindenki tutti-tag és szólista. Új a játékstílus is: a közlés szenvedélye, egymásra érzékeny figyelem, virtuozitás és egy olyanfajta hullámzó lendület, amit a jazzben swing-nek neveznek. Ez lenne a Virtuózok új zenei brandje? Mindenesetre harmonizál azzal a móddal, ahogyan a Virtuózok újra gondolják a klasszikus zenét: régi ízek, új interpretációban. A Virtuózok Kamaraegyüttessel egyben új zenei közösség született meg: önszerveződő, demokratikus, baráti. Talán egy új világ hírnöke – nemcsak zenei értelemben. A sorozat következő koncertjei: márc. 23., ápr. 21.  

VALAN - VALLEY OF ANGELS(Valan - Az angyalok völgye)Hungarian thriller-drama, 2019, 97 min. - In Hungariandirector, script writer: Béla Bagotacinematographed by Dániel Garas editor: Károly Szalaimusic by Albert Márkosproducer: László Kántor Featuring: Csaba Krisztik, András Hatházi, László Mátray, Júlia Nyakó, Emőke Pál, Gábor TollasPéter (Csaba Krisztik), a big city cop, investigates a sex trafficking ring in Brassov. He has dedicated his life to finding women who have disappeared. He sees his sister, Juli, in every girl he saves. Juli disappeared twenty-two years ago in their hometown, Valan, in the ensuing chaos of the Romanian Revolution of 1989. Péter is obliged to return to the Transylvanian mining town after receiving a phone call that implies the body of his sister has been found among the pines on a snow-capped mountain. The resulting investigation not only forces him to confront the stifling crime rate that has the town in a stronghold, but also takes him back to the labyrinth of the past where he must face his own demons... Béla Bagota's first feature film is a suspenseful and heart wrenching psychological thriller, a completely new voice in Hungarian filmmaking. The screening will be introduced by film- and music critic László Kolozsi (in Hungarian).Guest: Béla Bagota - director, Albert Márkos - composer

"We are grieving a great musician, a wonderful person, György Kurtág's visionary partner. She was an inspiring and passionately frank person whose attitude towards music was kindled by a deep affection, and for whom making music was a moral stance." (György Kurtág Jr.) Márta Kurtág, a pianist and teacher who shared a 72-year collaboration with her husband, the prominent avant-garde composer György Kurtág, profoundly influencing his work and joining him in dual recitals that acquired a legendary reputation in their later years, died on October 17, 2019 in Budapest. She was 92. We are remembering Márta in the presence of her colleagues, former students, and admirers at the BMC Concert Hall. The proceeds from the concert are offered for creating Márta Kurtág's tombstone.

Multitasking is a second album by Kuba Więcek Trio released on Warner Music Poland on the legendary Polish Jazz series (the historic label of Krzysztof Komeda and Tomasz Stanko). Their debut album, Another Raindrop, which was released two years ago, have received many awards by polish music industry, as well as gained attention of international audiences, reviewers and festivals. They have been touring all across Europe as well as USA and Asia. „Already during the first tour promoting our debut album I found out that the time for changes had come. The first album was recorded completely acoustically, and for this one we’ve prepared some more instruments like electric bass, synthesizers, glockenspiel, voice and more. We are still experimenting with the new forms in composition as well as trying to find new spaces for improvisation. I really like to write songs that make us step out of our comfort zones to get us to those unknown places.” (Kuba Więcek) „Certainly, his chops are impressive, but Multitasking offers tracks that are more ideas than songs; they’re still compelling and catchy, and always meticulously constructed.” (Downbeat Magazine) Kuba Więcek - the youngest hero of the cult Polish Jazz series. According to the Jazz Forum readers in 2018, he is the third best musician in the alto saxophone category, right after Henryk Miśkiewicz and Maciej Obara. Born in 1994, the saxophonist and composer is inspired by the work of Kanye West, and he invited Marcin Masecki, who was responsible for the music for the Oscar-nominated film Zimna wojna, as a guest on his second album.He was educated at the Copenhagen Rhythmic Music Conservatorium, from where, among others, he got a conviction about the need to be inspired by many styles and genres of music. Więcek reaches for electronics, classical music, folk, rock, hip-hop, and next to the albums of Coltrane and Parker there are also recordings of Steve Reich and Tom Waits on his shelves.In 2017, he received the Mateusz, the Polish Radio Programme Three Award for "exceptional compositional talent and performative talent". In 2018, the debut album Another Raindrop brought him the Fryderyk Award in the Jazz Phonographic Debut of the Year category. Recorded with Michał Barański and Łukasz Żyta, it was released by the Muza - Polish Recordings within the Polish Jazz series. In this way, Kuba Więcek became the first in 28 years and at the same time the youngest debutant in the history of this series.The next album, Multitasking was made in the same line-up. For Kuba Więcek, the cooperation with Michał Barański and Łukasz Zyta is extremely important – he is convinced that these musicians are able to play everything Więcek composes. Better knowledge of the musicians allowed Więcek to write songs for the second album, especially for this ensemble, and invite them to sail out into the deeper waters and out of the comfort zone. When recording the second CD, the musicians set themselves the goal of expanding the exploration of the sound, form and meaning of music initiated on the album Another Raindrop. The second album of the trio carries with it new sonic combinations, middle and far eastern inspirations, as well as the creative joy and colourfulness of the saxophonist, highlighted by the cover design, which was made by one of the most active creators of the Polish independent scene – Macio Moretti.Kuba Więcek is involved in many projects and collectives, both as a musician and as a composer. He also gives solo concerts with an electronic background, and he has also made a solo album, which he recorded in the studio of Seigen Ono, producer and sound engineer, who collaborated, among others, with Ryuichi Sakamoto. This disc is available on the Japanese audiophile market.

One of the younger members of the prestigious family of musicians, Kálmán Cséky played the piano in Roby Lakatos’ band for many years. He now presents his own modern mainstream trio with a penchant for lyrical compositions. This time he invited to his trio the virtuoso violin player, Laci Duka, winner of the International Roby Lakatos Improvisational Violin Competition.

“Existing at the nexus of modern, classical music and extreme metal, Inhumankind have a completely unique sound. Aggressively played flute, acoustic bass, and occasional vocals are excellently employed to create compositions that are simultaneously sparse and complicated, awkward and confident. This is one of the most original albums to come across my desk in quite some time!” Colin Marston“...you are left only with the crinkling of your own skin and the beating of your own heart ringing in your ears before you once again are unmoored in the beautiful exploration of the fragmented, fractal world, carried along by the flute towards what Pharoah Sanders called “freedom.” Echoes and Dust Inhumankind is a project by flutist Pablo Selnik and double bass player Àlex Reviriego, two of the most active, original and fearless musicians on the Barcelona scene. After several years working on projects of such diverse styles as modern jazz, metal, contemporary composition or drone, and being key members of the free improvised sessions from the Catalan capital, they joined forces in the pursuance of an impossible music. Shapeless phrasings, savage riffs, polyrhythms beyond logic... crowned by melodies of sinister and burning beauty – a duo that in its inhumanity creates a new concept of what’s human. Thir 2018 debut, Self-Extinction, produced by Colin Marston and released on the Italian label I, Voidhanger Records, is one of the references pieces of today’s international black avantgarde scene, with unanimous applauses from specialized critics. It has been selected as one of most outstanding albums of the year on Can This Even Be Called Music?, and its cover appears in the book Masterpieces, the Best artworks of 2018, by Heavy Music Artwork. Self-Extinction by INHUMANKIND

"I have never cared about the problem of individual style. There was always some external effect, impression or experience taking part while writing most of my pieces. Actually I don't think I have an own style or voice. In my opinion the practice of art is a cognition process. The cognition of our world and ourselves. I suppose the role of individuality is like a limit, which doesn't allow to experience other, different opinions, perceptions, cultures. My goal isn't to dispose of individuality, but to expand it to be able to experience the most various things." - said in an old interview László Sáry. At this ceremonial concert the audience will get to know the representative compositions of his life-work. The 80 years old composer, László Sáry will also attend this concert.    

Eva Fernández is a promising young Catalan jazz musician who stands out as a saxophonist and singer. Despite her youth, Eva Fernandez has gained a lot of experience in just a few years and is firmly on the list of impressive young female vocalists. She has already performed with such great names as Perico Sambeat, Dick Oatts, Ken Peplowski, Ignasi Terraza, Bobby Gordon, Jesse Davis, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Josep M. Farràs, Scott Robinson, Josep Traver, Matthew Simon, Llibert Fortuny, Carles Benavent and Jordi Bonell, and she has participated in various projects with Andrea Motis & Joan Chamorro Group and the Sant Andreu Jazz Band. She has also taken part in jazz festivals in Barcelona, Terrassa, Porta Ferrada, Menorca, Roses, Vic and Xàbia (València) among others. After the good reviews of her first album, That Darkness, recorded in a quintet lineup, Eva Fernández took a step forward in her career – a natural and desired step, encouraging the musical composition of her own songs. She is now playing in a more stripped down format, her trio with guitarist Josep Munar and drummer Enric Fuster plays fresh, contemporary, elegant jazz. Together they seek and organic sound, putting the song centre stage without sidelining improvisation, which is something they feel very comfortable. The trio is the result of a search for the balance that forms the music: melody, harmony and rhythm, placing equal importance on each element. Eva Fernández Trio’s new album, Yo pregunto, is a selection of poems by Pizarnik, Storni, Costafreda and Cortázar, composed by the singer and saxophonist with the guitarist Josep Munar. Fernández and Munar have spent a year writing and shaping seven of the songs that make up the album, mixing their individual influences and their different languages under a common ideological premise: less is more.

The main subject of this year's first masterclass of the Eötvös Péter Foundation is chamber music and chamber orchestra. Young conductors from different countries around the world, with the help of artists from the Danubia Orchestra of Óbuda (the permanent orchestra partner of the foundation), will gain experience for a week on how to interpret and play chamber music. The course will be led by Péter Eötvös and Gregory Vajda, as well as the Spanish composer Fabián Panisello of Argentinean origin, who will be teaching his piece for the first time in Hungary. The concert will also be the first introduction of young conductors and composers participating in the Foundation's mentoring program in 2020. Thanks to the support of BMC, the program can be followed live on the Foundation's Youtube channel.

“The Coltrane Quartet of the 21st Century”  CD Journal, Japan“A Volcano on the Ocean Floor”  Carlo Wolff, Downbeat Magazine, US“Oded Tzur is one of the great musical thinkers of our time”  Wolf Kampmann, DE“If music has the potential to tell stories, saxophonist Oded Tzur proves himself one of the jazz world’s premier storytellers on Translator’s Note” Dan Mcclenaghan, All About Jazz, US“In the way that Coltrane found the deepest possible kinship to religious devotion in a record like A Love Supreme, Tzur is finding a kinship just as deep and just as simple in essence with poetry and storytelling. The result is music of extraordinary power and beauty and, hallelujah, stunning 21st century originality.” Jeff Simon, Buffalo News, US New York City based saxophonist, composer and bandleader, Oded Tzur draws influence from the art of storytelling and explores relationships between ancient and modern musical traditions. His two albums on Enja Records have earned his music the title: “A new type of Swing”, and won extraordinary critical acclaim. Tzur’s unique language of improvisation takes the listener on a journey many describe as “musical storytelling”, and evokes deep contrasts between silent passages and dramatic crescendos. Oded had already been to Opus in 2018, then he had enchanted everyone with his intimate music stories. This time he returns to the club with material from his latest album: Here Be Dragons will be released in the weeks before the concert. This album is the musician's ECM debut and reflects his interest in Indian music as well as his first two albums. Tzur’s graceful and fluid tenor sax sound has been influenced by studies with bansuri master Hariprasad Chaurasia, and the concept of raga is subtly embedded in his elegant compositions, played with verve and imagination by his outstanding Israeli-Greek-American jazz group. As DownBeat has observed: “Tzur and his colleagues are definitely on to something.” Recorded in June 2019 at Auditorio Stelio Molo in Lugano, and produced by Manfred Eicher, the album is issued as Tzur embarks on an international tour. odedtzur.com 

In the summer of 2019, András Dés and his three fellow-musicians found a special “studio” for the recording of the debut album of their Rangers Quartet: between Németbánya and Farkasgyepű, one of the hidden nooks and corners in the woodlands of Bakony was chosen as its location. Spontaneity, risk-taking and improvisation, the basic features of jazz, are more determining than ever on the album, born under such unconventional circumstances, as András Dés didn’t take his usual set of percussion with him at all, but chose instead to play on the trees, the stones and the water: the forest itself. Prior to the recording, they performed the material as a warm-up at some of their favorite Hungarian festivals and clubs, including Opus, so they arrived to the forest of the Bakony pretty much prepared for the recording. Although they won’t be able to bring the woods back to the club, they surely will evoke the special atmosphere of einschließlich, their album on BMC Records, to be available for the first time after the Opus concert.

“Born in Banja Luka, grew up in Nuremberg, a professor in Bern – the cosmopolitan Dejan Terzić is one of Europe’s most renowned drummers and bandleaders.” Jazzthetik “Rhythmic virtuosity, fast tempos, minimalist, repetitive patterns, free floating parts. PROMETHEUS impresses with its expressive composition, bite and precision. Chris Speed, Bojan Z, Matt Penman and Dejan Terzic work together inseparable.” Jazzthing Dejan Terzić, the German drummer of Bosnian origin is well known for visitors of Opus. This time he appears on the club’s stage with his international quartet, featuring Chris Speed on sax, Bojan Zulfikarpašić on piano and Fender Rhodes and Matt Penman on bass, to disclose an amazingly rich and expressive realm, made of assorted moods, energy, strength, impressive depths of sound as well as hypnotic ostinatos. Listeners will enjoy free improvisations, explosive rhythmic arrangements, dreamy interludes. Music moving from cheerful to passionate, from passionate to free, from free to structured, from structured to sweet, from sweet to outspoken, from outspoken to amusing, from amusing to inward-looking. Underlying all this is an extremely robust, fresh, novel, distinctive, irresistibly dynamic jazz. chrisspeed.com bojanz.com mattpenman.com dejanterzic.com 

Ground-shaking grooves, hammering rhythms and wailing melodies, layered with explosive no-holds-barred improvisations: GORILLA MASK is a type of sonic madness roaring with a restless, implacable energy that totters dangerously on the verge of total chaos. They craft spirals of sound in 4 or 5 dimensions, jabbing you in the ribs as they mess with your brain; the ebb and flow of an acutely aware trio of musicians who know what they want and know how to get it. Canadian ex-pat Peter Van Huffel is a saxophonist out of Coltrane, Ayler and Zorn, but he frames his improvisational forays in the context of a trio with hard rock dynamics, riding the churn of Roland Fidezius’ frenetic bass and Rudi Fischerlehner’s pulsating drum kit like a surfer on the biggest wave he’s ever seen. GORILLA MASK is the product of a constantly active, hyper-intelligent hive-mind of three virtuosos; their music a mishmash of punk, rock and metal influences rooted in jazz, free-improvisation and the modern avant-garde. A collision of styles which form the key to the band’s identity. This is bold, audacious 21st Century improvised music writ huge, with innumerable influences and tendencies, gritty and urban, intellectual and ready to run a marathon.* Brain Drain, the fourth album from Gorilla Mask appeared in 2019 on the renowned Portuguese label, Clean Feed Records, celebrating the band’s 10th anniversary. The recording exhibits the band’s development over the past decade, displaying strong compositional concepts, intricate melodies and rhythms, and energetic improvisations. *Text adapted from the liner notes to HOWL! (2012, Between the Lines) and Bite my Blues (2014, Clean Feed) by Dave Wayne (Santa Fe, NM, USA) gorillamaskmusic.com

Johannes Ockeghem was the most famous – and indeed, most mysterious – composer of the Franco-Flemish School in the last half of the 15th century, and is often considered the most influential composer between Guillaume Dufay and Josquin des Prez. In addition to being a renowned composer, he was also an honored singer, choirmaster, and teacher. The lamentos written upon his death clearly show that the following generation of composers saw him as a father figure - despite the fact that all signs point to his extraordinary independence, fantasy, and his irrational degree of freedom. János Bali's series expores Ockeghem's art, personality, and life with musical performances following the lectures.

Benjamin Britten was only 20, as he composed his piece Simle Symphony, resorting his own 10-13 years old written piano pieces. Mozart was sixteen, as he wrote his famous stringed divertimento, which is nowadays also very popular. Are the teenagers of the 21. century writing such mature pieces like Mozart or Britten? And what are they thinking about Romeo and Juliett, the most famous love story of the world literature? István Láng finished 50 years ago his piece, which reflects to the Shakespeare-tragedy. What was it about for him 50 years ago and what it is about for us now? And why is seilence so important to Ilona Dobszay-Meskó? The new season of Classic Lights will answer these questions.

Two great musicians who call themselves “citizens of jazz-land” have stepped out into a unified world without borders. They brought with them an incomparable wealth of improvisation, of technical knowledge, of the creation of rhythmic and melodic fantasies, as well as every shade of tone and dynamics and also an excellent ability in creating a balance between musical liberty and constraint. They have absorbed: unusual metres, enchanting, entrancing, dancing and painful, joyful and plaintive melody patterns from Southern and South Eastern Europe, Asia Minor and other areas, unexpected and even surprising throbbing rhythms and grafted all of these on to their own music. They have fulfilled the moral duty of every musical artist by cheering up or saddening the listeners, causing them to contemplate, placing them into a gentle state of ecstasy. And in addition – what few manage to do – they have given a cathartic experience to the music lover listening to their “SOUNDS”.Emil Petrovics binderkaroly.hu 

„A Halleluja – Oratorium balbulum című nagyszabású műre 2008-ban kaptunk megrendelést a Bécsi Filharmonikusoktól. Öt évig dolgoztunk csodálatos harmóniában Esterházy Péterrel, aki 2010-ben lett kész az alapszöveggel. Régebben a zeneszerzők bibliai témákból merítették az oratóriumok tartalmát. Esterházy egy szakrális témát választott, de világi nyelvezettel teremtett meg egy rá jellemző, sajátos stílust. Főszereplője a Próféta, aki dadogása miatt nem tudja megjósolni a jövőt. Az Angyal kérdezi őt a jelenről és jövőről, de többnyire a Kórus, a tömeg adja meg a helyes választ. Mindebben a Narrátor vezet minket. A magyarországi előadások Narrátora Mácsai Pál volt, akinél Esterházy szövegének ideálisabb előadóját el sem tudok képzelni. A Budapest Music Center most kivételes lehetőséget nyújt, hogy Esterházy teljes szövegét Mácsai Pál előadásában megismerjük.” Eötvös Péter   A hangoskönyv a Kossuth-Mojzer Kiadó gondozásában fog megjelenni. www.hangoskonyvklub.hu

Péter Ajtai’s long-cherished dream came true with the formation of a group adapting music by Charles Mingus. Concerning Mingus it’s indisputable that we are dealing with an artist who is absolutely beyond any genre or classification, so it is understandable why does he enjoy the same respect in entirely different segments of the jazz scene. The members of the Mingus, Mingus, Mingus ensemble are well-known figures of the avant-garde music scene in Hungary, who don't play the music of Mingus note by note, but grasping its essence, try to shape it to their own face.

When did you last hear La mer or Ne me quittes pas? Patrick Hernandez’ Disco-hit Born To Be Alive or Comme d’habitude, the French template for Sinatra’s Ego-anthem My Way? The first Gymnopedie by Satie or pieces from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, such as Lully’s March for the Turkish Ceremony – these “hits” chosen from a period of 430 years of French musical history have never been heard like this before. Das Kapital, internationally acclaimed as a savvy jazz trio with an unmistakable sound and great performances, transforms these highly diverse masterpieces into the typical Das Kapital sound universe, stripping them of their original genres and arrangements, delivering them as had they all been written to be played by improvising jazzmen. Founded in 2002 Das Kapital attained international popularity with their idiosyncratic Eisler interpretations. On two albums (in 2009 and 2011) Erdmann, Poulsen, and Perraud transferred songs of the legendary composer Hanns Eisler into the jazz idiom. For their ironic bite on their album Ballads & Barricades, the band was awarded the annual prize of German record critics. As on their 2015 CD Kind Of Red featuring their own compositions, these eloquent virtuosos make no bones of their political stance. They of course also refer to the tradition of free jazz.  The new album Vive la France sounds more focused and complete in every respect. In terms of content, the three musicians of Das Kapital are paying “homage” to their country of residence. Edward Perraud was born in Nantes, Daniel Erdmann from Berlin has been living in France for 20 years as has the Dane Hasse Poulsen. “The title of the record is on one hand meant ironically. It is totally absurd that nationalists are now getting stronger again in many places”, says Daniel Erdmann. “Some of the pieces we recorded may be national cultural treasures of France, but they are certainly not a soundtrack to patriotism. At the same time there are many things to hail and love about France, so let’s gather together and sing the praise of the wine, the nature, and the people there. Loving the place you live is not the privilege of bigot nationalists!” Central to the music of Das Kapital is their unique sound. Das Kapital accepts no taboos and change seamlessly from melodic to abstract passages, combining stylistic devices of almost any musical genre. Most importantly, there is a high mutual respect within the trio with with each musian listening closely to each other ready to embrace any new idea. This creates a wonderful transparency and a unique atmospheric density, which is even more spectacular live in concert. das-kapital.com

A height of 157 centimeters, with a tendency for obesity, bad eyesight, and not many fans - yet today, Schubert may well be the most beloved composer. He wrote more than 1000 pieces: songs, quartets, symphonies, operas, masses and various piano works. All composed during a very short lifetime: Schubert only lived 31 years - even Mozart outlived him. To this day, the dual nature heard in his music, his contradictory personality, his tendency for unsurpassed joy and extreme despair together makes many people curious. The Budapest Strings Chamber Orchestra presents this concert series to get closer to Schubert's personality through his Symphony No. 5, the Mass in G Major, and the string ensemble version of his quartet, Death and the Maiden.

Santa Diver, founded in 2006, is comprised of the 2019 Artisjus-award-winning violinist-composer Luca Kézdy, multi-instrumentalist and composer Dávid Szesztay, and drummer, Dávid Szegő. The three instruments and personalities represent a very unique and original musical world in the intersection of jazz, world and free music. Their sound is determined by the unusual line-up, the special narrative violin-playing of Luca Kézdy, the colorful and melodic bass lines, and the sophisticated, thrilling and energetic drumming. Their third album, Deep Diving, was released in December 2017 by NarRator Records.  Blue Horizon, the trio’s new album, will be available the first time after the album debut at the Opus.

The four musicians met as part of the very first Focusyear program in Basel 2017-18. They are featured on Marton's 2019 Album Discovery which received ample praise from critics and artists alike: “Some of the songs have a lyrical starting point but quickly develop enormous momentum. Then there are gorgeous mood pieces such as the mysterious and intense Wolves gather under a winter moon. Like I said: a Discovery” – wrote Ssirus W. Pakzad in the German magazine, JazzThing. Marton Juhasz – who graduated summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music, Boston in 2011 – is a regular performer of the Opus Jazz Club, will play here at the very first time with this international quartet, uniting the jazz conception of the different continents.   martonjuhasz.com facebook.com/martonjuhaszmusic instagram.com/martonjuhaszmusic 

Recapitulations, pulsations, pattern recognition and two legends, Miklós Lukács and Miklós Perényi: a concert for those open to exciting modern sounds and the works of the greatest composers alive today – all this, expertly conducted by Zoltán Rácz. First on the programme will be Péter Eötvös’s da capo (“from the beginning”), whose dramatic leitmotif is, fittingly, a repeated start. The melodies borrowed from Mozart’s sketchbook are quickly joined by the sounds of the 21st century, not least of all thanks to a selection of instruments unusual in classical music. The cimbalom solo was inspired by one of the most-employed cimbalom players in the world, Miklós Lukács, who will also perform it this evening. “Miklós Perényi is like a force of nature,” Eötvös has said, and it is precisely this elemental force and richness in colour that is required for György Ligeti’s Cello Concerto, the work that rounds out the first half of the concert. It has been called an “anti-concerto” because of the unusual relationship between the soloist and the orchestra. The two-movement work, performed without a break in between, starts out with an almost imperceptibly quiet “pppppppp” sound, which grows ever louder and then disappears again at the end of the piece. Steve Reich’s Pulse features similarly sensitive, but far more frequent pulsations. Completed in 2015, the work sets continuously pulsating winds and strings against a piano coupled with a bass guitar that stands out in sound, without sounding out of place. According to the composer, this is a “calm, contemplative piece.” The concert will conclude with Surroundedness by György Ligeti’s son, the percussionist and composer Lukas Ligeti. The work begins with unexpected musical booms, and transfers effects usually associated with electronic music to real instruments. If listening carefully, the listener will discover beautiful and logical orchestral parts in what at first appears to be intentionally murky music – as confirmed by the title of the composition, a term borrowed from Gestalt psychology.

„A Blowin' Session is one of the greatest hard bop jam sessions ever recorded; it is filled with infectious passion and camaraderie. It's also the only time tenor saxophonists Johnny Griffin and John Coltrane would play together on record. Initially Coltrane wasn't scheduled to be on this date, but Griffin saw him on his way to Rudy Van Gelder's studio and asked him to join the remaining musicians, third tenor Hank Mobley, trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey. These musicians were all associates within the same East Coast hard bop scene of the time; they came from the Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis' quintet, and many had played with Dizzy Gillespie's big band. Showcased on this April 8, 1957, session are two standards, The Way You Look Tonight and All the Things You Are, along with two original Griffin compositions, Ball Bearing and Smoke Stack. (An added bonus on the 1999 Rudy Van Gelder remastered edition is an alternate take of Smoke Stack.) Of special note is The Way You Look Tonight, featuring the three tenors trading off with complexity and speed that is still astonishing, especially in the case of Griffin (dubbed the world's fastest saxophonist) and Coltrane's ability to navigate complex chord changes over a fast tempo” – Allmusic review by Al Campbell.

Arriving from New York on March 11, Daniel Zamir is one of the great visionaries of Israeli jazz, mixing traditional Hasidic music with Indian and West African rhythms and much more. At Opus Jazz Club, Zamir will join forces with the 21-year old shooting star guitarist, Nitzan Bar, member of The Israel Jazz Orchestra. Daniel and Nitzan have a very strong and similar sense of time, which makes their connection so strong, it is telepathic. They float together in time and space, playing on the beat or over the beat, breaking the boundaries of the bar, and then landing right there together on the “one”. Their approach to improvisation is similar as both of them strive for perfection, having their ideas expressed on the premise of precision, technique, knowledge and listening. Their unique energy creates a concert that has hard core jazz fused with Jewish elements, Arab concepts, Indian rhythmic secrets with jazz intellect that is both classic and modern. Their debut album is about to be released in a few months following their 2020 tour.

e c h o boomer is a seven piece Space Pop/Jazz band led by bassist Beate Wiesinger. The term „echoboomer“ refers to sociology and actually describes the generation born between 1970 and 1990. In this context though, it means a lot more: e c h o boomer is a laboratory for composition and improvisation, for ideas of different music and set-ups. In late 2019 the band released their first album Aliens On Board, which turned out to be a very colourful piece of music: delicately composed soundscapes mix with noise improvisations, song-alike structures reside on rhythmically intriguing grounds without missing any clarity. Aliens On Board was voted as one of the top 10 jazz albums in 2019 by viennese magazine FALTER. E c h o boomer can sound big, fragile, funny, heavy, deep and certainly makes an attempt to surprise their audience. echoboomer.info 

Esterházy Péter 2020-ban lenne 70 éves. Fuharosok című, ma már kultikus regényének első, 1983-as verziója ihlette Vajda Gergelyt mono-koncert-operája megkomponálására. Ahogy Esterházy könyve Balassa Péter esztéta, irodalomtörténész meghatározásában „nagyregény strófikus zsugorításban”, úgy Vajda műve is egy romantikus opera kevesebb mint egy órába sűrített, mezzoszoprán hangra és kamaraegyüttesre komponált XI. századi verziója. Zsófika, a gyereklány egy személyben hőse és mesélője a történetnek, amely Vajda értelmezésében egy trauma újraélése, újrajátszása, talán gyerekrajzok, bábok, játékbabák, talán kosztümök segítségével. Zsófi játssza az összes szerepet, „Édesanyánkat, nővéreimet, Bolondkát”, másnéven „a Lovagot” és persze a „fuharosokat” is. A megesett erőszak feldolgozása nem lehetséges másképp, csak a teljes történet minden részletének felidézésével. „Művem úgy opera, ahogy az Esterházyé regény.” — mondja Vajda, aki partitúrája elején, a könyv befejező gesztusa előtt tisztelegve a következőt írja: „Az operában szó szerinti vagy torzított formában Joseph Haydn-, Kurtág György-, Ligeti György-, Charlie Parker-, Arnold Schönberg-, Richard Wagner-idézetek vannak.” A hangverseny első fele időutazás a Fuharosok keletkezésének idejébe, a 80-as évek elejére, Vidovszky László Romantikus olvasmány No. 1 (1983) és Tihanyi László A szelek csendje (1984) című kompozícióinak segítségével. Utóbbi mű, a szerző Opus 1-e, 2017-ben hangzott el az UMZE előadásában a Tihanyi 60. születésnapja tiszteletére rendezett koncerten. Vidovszky László műve pedig a komponista szavaival „nem valamiféle romantikus magatartás felidézése, hanem a harmonikus és lineáris gondolkodás olyasfajta egyensúlyának megteremtése, amely épp ebben a stílusban teljesedett ki”, és mint ilyen az Esterházy féle „nagyregény strófikus zsugorításban” zenei megfelelőjeként is értelmezhető.

Zsolt Kaltenecker and Ádám Markó are among Hungary’s top musicians. Their duo invites the listeners to a special musical journey: from breakbeat, downtempo to trip-hop and jazz, in the compositions of Zsolt Kaltenecker many electronic styles are recalled live on keyboards and drums. This really challenging minimal setup gives air and space for the artists to showcase their abilities as musicians.

Denis Bouriakov has been Principal flute of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2015 and, before that, was Principal flute of the Metropolitan Opera from 2009. Denis has in recent years established himself as one of the most active and sought after soloists in the flute world. He has won prizes in many of the most important international competitions, including the Munich ARD, Jean-Pierre Rampal, the Prague Spring, the Carl Nielsen, and the Kobe competitions, to name a few. Bouriakov looks outside the standard flute repertoire for works that allow the flute to shine. In addition to having a phenomenal virtuoso technique and musicianship, he is continually transcribing and performing violin concertos and sonatas, expanding the limits of flute technique and artistry. He returns to Budapest after many years by the invitation of the Budapest Flute Academy.

Debussy would certainly have welcomed the idea of bringing his works into the present moment a century and a half later by intrepid artists, as he himself aspired to do the same as a pioneer of impressionism. Singer Veronika Harcsa and the Junior Prima Prize-winning harpist, Anastasia Razvalyaeva – two versatile artists who constantly reinvent themselves – make this happen by creating contemporary transcriptions of Debussy's most beautiful songs. The harp and the sotto voce (a singing technique that is closer to the spoken language than classical singing) present the composer’s songs from a new aspect. The duo gave a concert last December at BMC where their clear, expressive, airy sound was mixed live by Márton Fenyvesi with bold electronic effects, adding a new dimension to the atmosphere of the songs. The lineup – that has now expanded into a trio with Fenyvesi – will proceed to the studio of BMC Records right after the concert to record these musical snapshots for a future album release. harcsaveronika.hu

Kadri Voorand, the vocalist, pianist and composer, creates music through strong emotional storytelling, combining catchy rhythms with a completely unique way of blending improvisational pop, jazz and folk elements. Kadri Voorand is a well-established vocalist whose original music and expression have brought her a number of prizes and performances in Estonia as well as abroad. She has toured in many countries, including Great Britain, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Norway, China, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, and Uzbekistan. In 2017 she received the Estonian Music Awards for The Best Female Artist of the Year and The Best Jazz Album of the Year for her album Armupurjus (Love Intoxication). Mihkel Mälgand is one of the most active bass players in Estonia. Their strong sense of each other’s musical rhythm and improvisational moments result in a tight duo. The pop-like melodies are combined with virtuosic improvisations and skilled technique. They perform heartbreaking power ballads next to hip grooves, accompanied by a totally unique twist in the sound and unexpected, daring lyrics. They have played concerts both in Estonia and abroad, including festivals such as EFG London Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz, Jazz Baltica, Tampere Jazz Happening, Marburg City Festival, Südtirol Jazz Festival, Bejing Nine Gates Jazz Festival. New album to be released internationally on ACT Music, February 28th, 2020. ‟Her voice flitting from purist acrobatics to electronics-filtered extremes. All of her vocal perversion is in real-time, as she resourcefully knits a construction of rhythmic repeats, or flicks on a horrific distortion effect, often snapping back into something profoundly unsettling in its depth of contrast. Meanwhile, she’s back at the piano, marrying voice and keys in a completely symbiotic existence.” - All About Jazz kadrivoorand.com

Sun-Mi Hong is considered one of the most exciting emerging drummers composing and band leading in the Netherlands. After touring with such projects as Karel Boehlee Trio, Benjamin Herman and Daahoud Salim Quintet, she is already provoking a large response throughout Europe. Her sound pallet pulls from many diverse sources. A bachelor & master’s degree from the renowned Conservatorium van Amsterdam has seen to a strong and rooted basic in jazz, improvisation and technical ability. However, Sun-Mi’s unique sound and approach comes from much broader sources. With a keen interest in Korean traditional music, she is influenced by the percussions of her country. Alongside this, her compositional style is influenced by impressionistic classical music. In short, Sun-Mi offers up an entirely original and extremely relevant artistic output. The Sun-Mi Hong Quintet has captured this essence. The band walks the line between elaborate composition and the great void that is improvised music. The Quintet features some of the most enthralling musicians based in the Netherlands. Alessandro Fongaro (double bass) and Youngwoo Lee (piano) make up the rhythm section. A rhythm section that stand as a total unit, with the immense ability to barrel into the twists and turns of improvisation while letting go of predefined rules. Nicolo Ricci (tenor saxophone) and Alistair Payne (trumpet) toy with the rhythm sections capability. Like a wave, both horn players are able to roll in and out of dark melodies and bubbling textures.“Sun-Mi is a great musician who not only plays crazy, but is also very enterprising, takes initiatives and is open to all kinds of different musical movements. I really enjoy playing with her because she encourages me to play a different repertoire and also to push boundaries myself.” (Benjamin Herman) sunmihong.com facebook.com/drummersunmihong instagram.com/_sun_music 

The members of the Dalinda a cappella vocal ensemble – Fanni Nádasdy, Julianna Paár and Sára Tímár – are all committed to Hungarian folk music. In their musical, however, they strive to bring the authentic, instinctive folk singing style to the stage in a modern, polyphonic form. Their songs are about common human experiences, because our folksongs are the bearers of collective feelings and thoughts that affect all of us – the purest source of our self-expression. The idea of the band was born in 2015. Dalinda crystallized from its members' experience in numerous folk and world music projects over the years. For the past four years they have performed in the biggest concert halls and festivals in Hungary, and this February they present their ethno cappella program in India. dalinda.hu

„Amikor a Virtuózok első évadjában (2014) először meghallottam az akkor 15 esztendős Lugosi Ali klarinéthangját, már megbabonázott, és ugyanezt érezték a zsűri többi tagjai is. Van ebben a hangban valami mágikus, varázslatos. A lélek szólal meg általa és beszél hozzánk a zene nyelvén – mert Ali minden hanggal mond valamit. Nekünk? Nekünk is, de nemcsak. Párbeszédet folytat a zeneszerzővel, aki mindezt megálmodta. Ali még Mozarttal is képes együtt álmodni. Ezért mutatjuk be ezen a hangversenyen – amely Ali első igazi szólóestje – Mozart társaságában, kiegészítve olyan zenei poénokkal, amelyeken Mozart is nevetne.” Batta András Lugosi Dániel Ali 1999. február 14-én született Ózdon. Muzsikus családban nevelkedett, szülei pedagógusok, édesanyja zongoratanár. 10 évesen kezdett el klarinétozni. Tanulmányai alatt Horváth Sándortól, a XVI. kerületi Rácz Aladár Zeneiskola tanárától, valamint Horn András, Klenyán Csaba, Szepesi János, Kohán István klarinétművészektől kapott képzést és inspirációt. Számos versenyen ért el első helyezést, többek közt az I. Dittrich Tibor Országos Kamarazenei Fesztiválon, az V. Anton Eberst Nemzetközi Klarinétversenyen, a Szabadkán megrendezett “Femus” Nemzetközi Klarinétversenyen. 2013-ban felvételt nyert a Bécsi Zeneakadémia kivételes tehetségek osztályába, ahol Johann Hindler tanszékvezető professzor irányítása alatt folytatta tanulmányait. 2014-ben Bécsben megrendezett Nemzetközi Zenei Fesztivál győzteseként részt vehetett a Japánban megtartott 15. Osakai Zenei Világversenyen, ahol 3. helyezést ért el. 2014 őszén az MTVA által sugárzott klasszikus zenei tehetségkutató műsorban (Virtuózok) elnyerte a fődíjat. Ennek következtében több rangos nemzetközi hangversenyteremben lépett fel (Lincoln Center New York, Covent Garden London, Művészetek Palotája Budapest, Liszt Ferenc Zeneakadémia, Miami Kravis Center, Budapest Sportaréna) A Virtuózok Kamaraegyüttes egyik alapító tagja. A sorozat másik két koncertje: febr. 17. és ápr. 21.  

A magyar férfikari irodalom a világ legjelentősebb, legszínvonalasabb műveit vallhatja magáénak, s ez elsősorban Liszt Ferencnek, Kodály Zoltánnak és Bartók Bélának köszönhető. Ők hárman közel száz férfikart komponáltak – ezen mesterművek között vannak egészen zseniális alkotások is. Záróakkordjához érkezett a Szent Efrém Férfikar sorozata, amely a három nagyszerű magyar mester életébe engedett bepillantást: Liszt Ferenc és Kodály Zoltán után 2020. március 24-én – születésnapjának előestéjén – Bartók Béla előtt tiszteleg a Zseni születik sorozat. Az est házigazdája Bősze Ádám, a kiváló műsorvezető, aki az elhangzó zenékhez kommentárokat fűz, történeteket mesél, valamint kordokumentumok, levelek idézésével teszi még teljesebbé a zenei élményt. A koncerten a közönségnek módja lesz megismerkedni a három nagy magyar géniusz legkevésbé – méltatlanul kevéssé – ismert férfikaraival, s Bősze Ádám jóvoltából azok keletkezésének történetével és szerzőiknek ehhez a ritka műfajhoz való viszonyulásával. Bartók Béla férfikari munkásságát egyedülálló módon ápolja a Szent Efrém Férfikar – 2015-ben a BMC Records gondozásában jelent meg Bartók összes férfikarát bemutató lemezük a Bartók&Folk, ami kiváló kritikákat kapott a hazai és a nemzetközi sajtóban egyaránt.

"The music of Pulcinella is traditional and avant-garde, wild and domesticated, precise and extravagant, it achieves a kind of union of opposites, and that is doubtless what makes is seem so vivacious" – Pascal Rozat JAZZ MAGAZINE For 15 years, this playful Toulousain band has not grown tired of doing everything it wants. With a drums, a double bass, an accordion and a saxophone, Pulcinella mixes funk, jazz, Balkan music, electro, musette, progressive rock… to create a polymorphic and borderless music. With more than 600 concerts on the clock, Pulcinella gets real on stage, it has performed in prestigious festivals such as Jazz in Marciac, the Festival Radio France, Rio Loco, Jazz sous les Pommiers, the London Jazz Festival, the Odessa Festival… They travelled the roads of some twenty countries such as Honduras, Guatemala, Bulgaria, Tajikistan, Moldova, colombia, India and even Vietnam to celebrate the 1000 years of the capital Hanoi! Greedy of encounters, the quartet always likes to collaborate with other artists. In addition to his creations with musicians (Émile Parisien, Leïla Martial, Andreas Schaerer, Hervé Suhubiette… ), they like to rub shoulders with other artistic fields. They composed music of theatre play and filmconcerts, collaborated with dancers, illustrated text readings, accompanied circus acts… They created Le Grand Déballage (futuristic dancing ball where mazurka, afrobeat, waltz and merengue clash one on the other) in 2017 and started a new musical adventure with Italian singer Maria Mazzotta in June 2019. In addition, Pulcinella released their 6th album in quartet, Ça, on BMC Records in September 2019 and at the same time mounted a new repertoire with the Colombian trio La Perla. pulcinellamusic.com facebook.com/pulcinellamusic instagram.com/pulcinellamusic 

A szabadság nekünk – főleg a negyven alattiaknak – sokszor csupán egy üresen hangzó, elkopott jelszó. Beethoven idejében a világ lángokban állt, és a történelem legnagyobb hatású ideológiai földcsuszamlása alapjaiban rengette meg a földi és égi hierarchiákat, az emberek pedig rettegve szemlélték az addig elképzelhetetlen változásokat. Beethovent nemcsak a világpolitika vagy nehéz gyermekkora, de egy könyörtelen betegség is végletes magányra kárhoztatta, ahonnan csak két kiút létezett. Szerencsénkre a nehezebb utat választva kottapapíron teremtett egy új, igazságos és szép világot magának, ahol félelem nélkül ölelhette keblére a teljes emberiséget. Az alkotás és a fantázia szabadsága talán időnként megváltotta őt testének börtönéből, és feledtette vele a legfőbb csapást, mit a sors emberre mérhet: a magányt.

Anne Quillier (Fender Rhodes, piano, analog synthesizer, voice) and Pierre Horckmans (bass, alto and Bb clarinets, effects) produce a new texture of sound, mixing shrill and tingling electronic resonances with smooth acoustic vibrations. Their musical universe is lacking of concessions, filled with a rich complexity, where doors are being opened. Habits are disrupted using loops, pedal effects, minimal and noise music, dissonance and saturation, creating a unique and addictive  musical environment. Watchdog is Jazz Migration 2017 Laureate, what is the most important oppotunity for French emerging creative jazz musicians), as well as 1st Prize winners of the 36th National Jazz in La Défense Contest (as part of the A. Quillier 6tet). The duo transgress the stylistic borders, plays with each other, interacts, takes risks and overpass every limits in a constantly changing acoustic world. Watchdog is a musical reflection – either ironical or serious – of our ultra-monitored societies, of those self-controled machines which gradually take precedence over human being in a speeding up world. " This album creates right ahead a state of dreaming, not like a boring afternoon, but the one with bubbling blood in your veines. Running emotions disorientated till they explode full of passion. Never to miss! " Louis-Julien Nicolaou, Les Inrockuptibles watchdog.collectifpinceoreilles.com

Van, aki Hollywoodi sztár lenne egy napra, van, aki ordibálós TV-s szakács, van, aki Messi vagy Ronaldo, van, aki élő Barbie baba, van, aki Marsra szálló űrhajós stb. Mi most lehetőséget adunk, hogy világhírű zeneszerzővé válhass egy órácskára, és megkomponáld Beethoven leghíresebb szimfóniáját, az ÖTÖDIKET! (Tá-dá-dá-dááám!) Nem kell előképzettség, kottapapírt sem kell hoznod, csak a hangodat, a tenyeredet és a bátorságodat, meg a szüleidet esetleg. Mi adjuk a zenekart meg a hihetetlen dallamokat, te pedig minden idők egyik legnagyobb zeneszerzőjének bőrébe bújhatsz. Hogy hangzik?

A szabadság nekünk – főleg a negyven alattiaknak – sokszor csupán egy üresen hangzó, elkopott jelszó. Beethoven idejében a világ lángokban állt, és a történelem legnagyobb hatású ideológiai földcsuszamlása alapjaiban rengette meg a földi és égi hierarchiákat, az emberek pedig rettegve szemlélték az addig elképzelhetetlen változásokat. Beethovent nemcsak a világpolitika vagy nehéz gyermekkora, de egy könyörtelen betegség is végletes magányra kárhoztatta, ahonnan csak két kiút létezett. Szerencsénkre a nehezebb utat választva kottapapíron teremtett egy új, igazságos és szép világot magának, ahol félelem nélkül ölelhette keblére a teljes emberiséget. Az alkotás és a fantázia szabadsága talán időnként megváltotta őt testének börtönéből, és feledtette vele a legfőbb csapást, mit a sors emberre mérhet: a magányt.

“Three years ago, it was in trio, with the album 30YearsFrom that the double bass player caught our attention. The trio became a quartet, with the arrival of Basile Naudet on the saxophone. It must be said that this young musician had sometimes replaced Antoine Berjeaut in the trio. The escort speech (the promotional literature if you will, what is broadcast to accompany the release of the CD) invokes Charlie Haden. Which is not illegitimate. But when listening, I think more often of another double bass player, Henri Texier, for this way of composing melodies that breathe the fragrance of popular European music while drawing on the fundamentals of jazz. Open, singing and warm music, but which also wants to be a gateway to beautiful libertarian escapes. A vehement pulse, elaborate presentations that nevertheless seem obviously simple, the quality of the soloists, a beautiful sense of the collective: a beautiful moment of (true) music. We succumb, and we enjoy ourselves.” Mathieu Durand

Dialogues with (the) Music, Gábor Csalog's unconventional piano recital series continues in 2019/2020. The pianist will be in dialogue not just with his favourite composers and pieces but with musicologist Gergely Fazekas as well, creating an animated discussion in the first half of the concerts. The third occasion presents 115 years of Russian music by Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, Rahmaninoff, Prokofiev and Ustvoltskaya. 

A height of 157 centimeters, with a tendency for obesity, bad eyesight, and not many fans - yet today, Schubert may well be the most beloved composer. He wrote more than 1000 pieces: songs, quartets, symphonies, operas, masses and various piano works. All composed during a very short lifetime: Schubert only lived 31 years - even Mozart outlived him. To this day, the dual nature heard in his music, his contradictory personality, his tendency for unsurpassed joy and extreme despair together makes many people curious. The Budapest Strings Chamber Orchestra presents this concert series to get closer to Schubert's personality through his Symphony No. 5, the Mass in G Major, and the string ensemble version of his famous quartet, Death and the Maiden.

„Valamikor részese voltam már egy hasonló szituációnak. Akkor négy fiatal ütőhangszeres muzsikus lépett ki, mindent elsöprő lendülettel a magyar, és röviddel azután a nemzetközi zenei élet pódiumára. Nyomukban forgószél kerekedett és egy új fejezet nyílt a magyar kamarazene történetében. 36 évvel ezelőtt... Igen, az Amadindáról van szó. Most pedig egyszerre csak megjelenik három fiú, a Debreceni Zenei Egyetem Zeneművészeti Karának műhelyéből, és mintha megismétlődne a történelem! A TanBorEn Ütőstrió – déja vu. Átvitt értelemben az Amadinda gyermeke, mert abból a mozgalomból emelkedik ki az együttes, amit az Amadinda épített fel. Amúgy meg: immár az Amadinda is iskolája a TanBorEn-nek, felső fokon, közös projektekben. Mindez – a három fiatalember tehetségén, művészi leleményességén és kitartásán kívül – a Virtuózok 2019-es különleges szériájának köszönhető, ahol az együtt muzsikálás élménye és követendő példája állt a középpontban. A TanBorEn Ütőstrió jogosan vitte el a pálmát. Örülök, hogy első komoly szólóestjüket a BMC-ben, a kreatív megújulás központjában rendezhetjük meg – néhány héttel diplomájuk megszerzése előtt!” Batta András A sorozat másik két időpontja: febr. 17. és márc. 23.

Shay's latest group with new reflections and directions. The band, two-horns strong and backed by the classic piano, bass and drums unit, continues to strike ripples in its near and farther surroundings. Only that in Hazan's case, backing does not mean hiding. His significant bass work carries the group into the magical realm of Gnawa music from Morocco, the new wave of Hip-Hop, and the 1960's Chicago free jazz and human rights movement, all these casted into a fresh blend of old and new flavours. shayhazan.com  Domestic Peace by Shay Hazan Quintet

"I am attached to Baroque music and to the music of earlier ages the most - and of course to contemporary music" - said Bánk Sáry in a recent interview. However, his recently finished composition called "The Eternal Poem" goes back even further both in time and space: it evokes a Chinese poet who lived 1300 years ago. Janàček's string ensemble piece alludes to a particularly baroque genre, while László Sáry's composition, finished in 2017, was composed for the 200th anniversary of the birth of the poet János Arany. The Classic Lights 3 new season will show new and interesting perspectives of these compositions and composers. 

Béla Szakcsi Lakatos says that comfort is the greatest enemy of musicians, so he moves out of his comfort zone once again: this time he invited István Grencsó, the "heavyweight" improviser of the Hungarian free music scene to join him, for whom the safe musical environment begins where it’s ended for the most musicians. His initial fears that Szakcsi would want to play standards with him were soon dispelled when the veteran piano player told him that he was studying Ligeti's Etudes and wanted to create unrestricted music with the harmonization solutions of Ligeti. As a matter of fact, Béla Szakcsi Lakatos has been following István Grencsó's work for a long time, all the way back to when he was a student of György Szabados, whose piano playing was also highly regarded by Szakcsi. The excitement of the concert is enhanced by the fact that the two of them are joined by a rhythm section featuring bassist György Orbán and drummer Máté Éles who never played together before. The "Improvisation Workshop" of Szakcsi & Grencsó is a music studio where brand new things are born – not only for the audience but also for the musicians. The meeting of the two giants will surely result musical zeniths like the tectonic plate collisions.

Jegesmedvék Szicíliában? Repülő disznók és party a kísértetházban? Várostrom medvékkel és majdnem gonosz varázslóval? Ezt mind és még sokkal több izgalmat zsúfoltunk ebbe az új ifjúsági kalandzenébe, melyet Dino Buzzati gyönyörű és vicces meséje nyomán zenekarunk megrendelésére komponált Antonio Casagrande, az Óbudai Danubia Zenekar bőgőse. Egy igaz történet becsületről, szeretetről, klímaváltozásról és a természet gyógyító erejéről. Zene: Antonio Casagrande Szöveg: Hámori Máté

Johannes Ockeghem was the most famous – and indeed, most mysterious – composer of the Franco-Flemish School in the last half of the 15th century, and is often considered the most influential composer between Guillaume Dufay and Josquin des Prez. In addition to being a renowned composer, he was also an honored singer, choirmaster, and teacher. The lamentos written upon his death clearly show that the following generation of composers saw him as a father figure - despite the fact that all signs point to his extraordinary independence, fantasy, and his irrational degree of freedom. János Bali's series expores Ockeghem's art, personality, and life with musical performances following the lectures.

A legnagyobb zeneszerzők puttonyában mindig lapul egy-két zavarba ejtő, akár enigmatikus vagy egyszerűen fatális tévedésnek tetsző mű is. Az őrület gyermekei ezek: miattuk lesz az életmű zseniálisan egyenetlen. Aztán idővel kiderül, hogy nem a mű a torz, hanem a perspektíva nem elég tágas, és a kor végül utoléri a messze előreszaladt alkotó fantáziát. Ilyenek a kései Beethoven-kvartettek, köztük is hegyként mered az égnek az op. 130-as, B-dúr darab, amelynek monumentális fúgáját nem is szokták az egyébként is terjedelmes vonósnégyessel együtt játszani. Mit látott a szerző, milyen vásznak és távlatok tárultak fel lelki fülei előtt? Erre keressük a választ Beethoven hagyománytisztelő Szeptettjét és két beskatulyázhatatlan mesterművét szembeállítva.

"Although a relative newcomer to New York's scene, the Argentina-born Israeli baritone saxophonist Eden Bareket quickly gained notice and esteem as an in-demand Sideman. Indeed Bareket's collaborative projects show an eclectic streak, as is horn playing ranges from modern classic Eyal Vilner Big-Band, to the adventurous Ari Hoenig Nonet, to even the Ethiopian jazz inspired grooves of Anbessa Orchestra. As his star has continued to rise, Bareket has also woven these disparate musical strands together in his own leader project, a trio featuring bassist Or Bareket and drummer Felix Lecaros. This notably minimalist and unfussy instrumentation is utilized to the group's advantage as the trio unveils a set of sparsely funky, often dark-hued to grooves, all while stretching out their positions into very open territory." - Hot House Jazz Guide edenbareket.com

A dual anniversary concert celebrating György Ligeti's birthday and the second birthday of the Ligeti Ensemble which debuted on May 28, 2018 at Budapest Music Center. The program features works by two great Hungarian composers, Ligeti and Kurtág as well as a composition for percussive instruments by Freferic Rzewski.